Caught
by Idakiller24
Summary: After an awkward walk through the storm, Zim's plans for world domination take an unexpected halt when he 'feels' things for the Gaz. A ZAGR story. Rated T for language and sexual themes. All rights to Invader Zim belong to Jhonen Vasquez. (Previously Dib-sister Lovepig)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Zim sat under a stairway, scowling at the pavement, in a dirty alley as the rain poured hard around him. He rested his chin on his knees and wrapped his arms around his legs, all tucked into his little, dry spot. Zim knew it would rain today, what he _did not _know was that he was out of the protection-paste that kept him from being burned by the water that was completely hazardous to his Irken skin.

He had already called GIR for help, but he did not answer. Now he had to sit there and wait for the rain to stop so he could safely return to his base, without mass amounts of burns.

_This is demeaning. _Zim thought to himself. A single drop of rain fell from the stairway onto Zim's hand, he shrieked and cursed as he shook the water off.

"Who's there?" A voice called. A familiar voice. Zim looked up, he could see a human meat bag across the street with one of those rain-shields. It was difficult to see through the rain, but he recognized a blur of purple. He flattened his antennae when the human crossed the street to approach.

"Zim?" She asked.

"Shoo, Dib-sister." Zim muttered, annoyed that anyone could see him in such a vulnerable state. Especially _her_. The sibling of his rival, Dib, who had pestered Zim since the first day he arrived on Earth.

"You okay?" She asked, still there.

"I am perfectly fine. I am just resting myself before returning home, as I normally do." Another raindrop fell onto Zim's hand and he fought not to yell as it burned him again.

"You want to use my umbrella?"

"No!" Zim snapped. "An invader needs help from no_..._ _helper__!"_ A bright bolt of lightning cracked from someplace nearby and Zim nearly jumped out of his skin, quickly regaining his proud composure.

Gaz stood there watching him wince every once in awhile from falling drops of water, staying stubbornly proud. She sighed and moved her umbrella over him. Zim looked up and scowled at the acid-rain-shield, then at Gaz who had already been soaked to the bone from the heavy rain that could now freely drench her.

"Come on. I'll take you home." Gaz said, getting annoyed by the alien's stubbornness. Zim continued to glare for a moment before slowing rising off the concrete.

"I'm only accompanying you because I have better things to do than sit here or burn in your falling Earth-water."

"The rain?" Gaz teased. Zim had just started walking when his whole foot sank in a puddle. He shrieked in pain, the spider legs in his PAK shot out to hold him up and away from the pooling rain. Gaz snickered under her breath.

"You dare mock _me__?" _Zim yelled at Gaz as his foot sizzled.

"It _was_ kinda funny." Gaz said with humor in her voice. Zim's eye twitched.

"How _dare _you! Have you the BRAIN WORMS? Your inferior, human brain-meats know NOTHING of the powers you invoke with your MOCKERY. I AM AN ELITE SOLDIER WITH THE CAPABILITIES OF-!"

As Zim ranted Gaz began to walk away, carrying her umbrella with her, leaving Zim in the rain.

It burned.

Zim quickly dove under the rain-shield with thin wisps of smoke rising from his whole body. He grumbled and glared, but held his tongue further. It seemed wise to be quiet as the Gaz-beast had the only means of protection and safe passage home.

They walked silently through the storm, Zim turned to glare suspiciously at the scary girl once in awhile. A single question nagged at the back of his mind.

"What is your motive?" Zim finally asked.

"My motive?"

"Your reasoning. Your plan. Your _game._" Zim continued, scowling. "The _Dib _put you up to this, didn't he?"

"Dib doesn't tell me what to do."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Are you gonna shut up and let me take you home, or are gonna keep asking questions and make me leave you behind?" She snapped.

Zim glared. Perhaps he should take this gesture at face value. They walked quietly, avoiding eye contact. Zim would flinch back whenever they brushed against each other but, as the rain-shield was too small for two people, he swallowed his pride and stayed close to the human to avoid the rain. The lesser of two evils.

"Where _is _your Dib-sibling?" He grumbled, suspiciously.

"Dib rode the bus home."

"Why didn't you?"

"I hate people." Gaz said.

"Yes. You _humans_ are truly terrible." Zim muttered, nodding. "But you are human yourself. You hate your own race?"

"Yeah." Gaz said, nonchalantly. Zim was surprised. The Gaz kept to herself at all times with only her Dib-stink to accompany her, but he didn't think she actually _hated_ her own species.

"I suppose we have a common hatred then." Zim smirked.

"Yeah. Two actually."

"_Two_ common hatreds?" Zim asked, intrigued.

"Dib." Gaz said, simply.

"You hate the Dib-monkey as well?"

_Screw Dib_. Gaz thought. They had a fight this morning. Which wasn't uncommon anymore these days. What with his "chosen one" complex. All of his stupid rants about stopping Zim, and how Zim was _so_ horrible, and that he was the only one to save Earth and that she should be grateful that he'd put Zim on an autopsy table someday. Zim this and Zim that.

"Yeah." Gaz said. She hadn't been saying much but this had already become more awkward than she thought it would be.

"It seems you're not as stupid as I thought."

"Oh wow. Thank you." Gaz sneered, sarcastically.

"You are welcome." Zim said, oblivious.

They continued walking through the rain, quietly. The pair took care to avoid the larger puddles pooling on the sidewalk. Zim stayed focused on keeping pace with the Gaz, if he faltered his backside and heels would be singed with stray raindrops dripping off the rain-shield. He muttered under his breath about the absurdity of the normality of _acid_ falling from the sky on occasion here. As if this wretched planet wasn't awful enough. Zim flinched when thunder roared and lightning lit up the dark sky, like the planet itself was mocking and threatening him. He crossed his arms to keep himself small and glared out at the gloomy, sullen scenery of the rain pouring down around them. Then his eyes settled on Gaz. She had on her usual black attire with the skull pendant. The only color she had on was her purple leggings and drenched purple hair that stuck to her grim face and shoulders, even the liquid shield was black.

Gaz looked up at Zim, who quickly looked away.

Even after spending eight years on Earth he still hadn't changed his obvious disguise. His contacts and stiff wig looked ridiculous, but for some reason it worked on everybody he came across. It was amazing that nobody noticed anything strange about him, especially when he used his metal spider legs coming from his backpack-thing so often in public. You could hear the quiet tapping on the concrete from the metal legs, splashing in puddles along the sidewalk.

"Speaking of the human race. How are your plans on destroying it coming?" Gaz asked, smirking.

"You mock me again?" Zim glared down at Gaz.

"No. I'm serious. How are things?" Gaz looked at Zim sincerely, opening her eyes slightly. Zim's glare disappeared and he looked away.

"I'm working on it." He said, quickly. He hadn't come up with a competent plan in months. His brilliance hadn't been sparked with an ingenious idea.

"Does that mean you're giving up?"

"No." He looked back at her. "I _will_ rule you all. Just… later." Gaz snickered.

They were coming up on his street, his obnoxious green and purple house was barely visible in the rain. Gaz followed Zim all the way to the door, watching his lawn gnomes slowly swivel to monitor her. He opened the door and stepped inside, looking back at Gaz, uncomfortably.

"I suppose I should thank you for your service in returning me home." He said, giving a nod.

"No problem." Gaz turned to leave.

"You're going back out there? You're already soaked!" Zim pointed out.

"Well, yeah what else am I going to do?" She asked, turning back around.

"You'll catch the deadly human-sicky-germs. Come. As a reward for your service." Zim stepped aside, expectantly. She stood at the doorway, raising an eyebrow.

"I insist." He pressed. Gaz sighed and walked in, folding her umbrella back up. Zim closed the door behind her. A puddle was already forming around her as the rain dripped from her hair and off her clothes. Zim carefully maneuvered around the puddle and into his living room.

"Of course, your brother-unit will not be informed of this. Or anyone else."

"Yeah, sure I won't tell Dib." She walked over and sat up on the couch, trailing a few drops behind her. She pulled out her GameSlave3 from her backpack and began playing.

"What is that device, anyway?" Zim asked scooting closer to look at the screen. It appeared the Gaz-human controlled another human inside the device, and forced him to destroy flying, monster piggies that attacked him.

"It's called a GameSlave. You play video games on it."

"And what is the purpose of these 'video games'?" He asked, still watching over her shoulder.

"I don't know. They're fun." Gaz approached the boss level as Zim watched, asking questions about the character's blood lust for piggy flesh, how she progressed through the game, and how she could so easily control the little human. As she played, he shouted insults at the piggies or warned her about piggie attacks.

"NO, GAZ-BEAST! THE PIGGIES ARE BEHIND YOU!"

"I know. I got 'em." She easily evaded the piggies' sneak attack and destroyed them. Having played the game many times before, she learned their attack patterns by heart and had no need to even look at the game in order to win. Zim was impressed.

"You are very good at slaying monster pig-beasts."

"Thanks. How long did you want me to stay?"

"I don't _want you here_." He challenged. "When the storm passes, you will leave."

"That might take all night." She said, pausing her game. Zim looked outside and flinched when lightning flashed, followed by the roll of thunder.

"Well, I suppose I can return the favor in bringing you home as well. We can take the Voot runner." Zim hopped off the couch.

"Thanks." She said, slipping her GameSlave3 in her pocket. Zim stood up on his toilet in the kitchen and motioned for Gaz to join him.

"You're kidding." Gaz glared at him.

"If you want to go home." Zim sneered, holding out his little three fingered hand. Gaz sighed, took his hand and stood up with him.

"Computer. Take us to the Voot." Zim said. The toilet's floor caved and became an elevator going down. It was a tight squeeze for the both of them so they had to stand close again. Gaz blushed and avoided looking at Zim directly. Zim looked down at her and raised an antenna.

_Her face is getting pink. _He thought, curiously. Then the elevator snapped sideways and up in a few short seconds, causing the two to be thrown into each other. Gaz was up against the wall face to face with Zim who had fallen against her, her blush deepened. He righted himself quickly, his own face changing color in embarrassment. He cleared his throat and looked away from her, pressing against the opposite wall.

The elevator finally opened in the docking bay. Zim fled quickly and opened the Voot runner, getting in and typing commands. Gaz climbed in as the roof opened up, Zim closed the Voot's windshield to avoid the falling rain and lifted off the dock, soaring through the sky.

The awkward scene still loomed over the quiet pair as Zim searched for the Membrane house in the dark night. Gaz folded her arms and sunk in her seat, watching the rain on the windshield. Finally, he found it, the bright, blue electric fence was easy to see in the darkness, and he lowered the Voot down in the backyard.

"Thanks." Gaz said, quickly, she snapped open her umbrella and fled into the rain.

"You're welcome." Zim said, watching her go. She ran to the door and looked back as she shook the rain off her umbrella, giving Zim a small wave before disappearing into the house. Zim stared at the empty doorway for a moment in silence, his antenna twitched.

Zim shook his head before lifting off into the dreary night, returning home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next day at skool Zim sat with his chin on his desk and his arms wrapped around his face, glaring and heaving a sigh every so often. He was mentally absent in class, with far too much on his mind. His vaccant scowl bore a hole in the opposite wall as he only vagely regestered the world around him, impatiently waiting for the day to end. His antenna twitched from under his wig and he growled quietly into his folded arms as class drug on.

As soon as the bell rang for class dismissal, Zim was the first to leave. He stomped through the hallway, paying his peers no attention as he grumbled and glared off into space. He had been in a terrible mood since the storm last night, generally upset with the world, more so than usual. He even found no enjoyment in his usual quarrels with Dib, who was oblivious to Zim's foul mood. Dib stood proudly at the end of the hall with his hands on his hips and a mysterious wind blowing through his scythe hair. Zim glanced up at the monkey-boy then back down the hall, not changing directions.

"_Zim._" Dib sneered with his usual confident demeanor. Everyone in the hallway rolled their eyes as Zim approached Dib. They've seen this a thousand times over, ever since they were kids. Dib would start his daily accusations and Zim would scream and yell about how ridiculous they were. The two caused a scene every day since they were in elementary skool. All the muttering students started to leave the hallway as the space closed between the rivals.

"Just you wait, _Zim_." Dib challenged. "Soon I'll have irrefutable proof of your…"

"Hmm." Zim huffed, walking by, ignoring the Dib who stood confused, watching him go. The mysterious wind faded and his scythe straightened. Dib furrowed his brow and walked off in the opposite direction.

_What's with him?_

* * *

Zim slammed his front door shut after an aggravating day at skool. He tore off his scratchy contacts as he stomped into the living room, grumbling to himself.

"COMPUTER! Scan me for any Earthly diseases!" Zim screamed as he stood tall with his arms outstretched.

"Scanning."

A beam of blue light passed through Zim's body.

"Diagnosis: Healthy." The computer stated.

"Impossible!" Zim yelled. "Do it again!" Again, the beam of light scanned Zim, he tensed as he focused on all of the sick in his body.

"Diagnosis: Healthy."

"YOU LIE! YOU MALFUNCTION!" Zim yelled again. "I feel STRANGE!"

Zim began to pace. "It's that awful Dib-sibling! This is all her fault! With her stupid face, and her stupid hair, and her stupid skin!" Zim's arms flailed about, grimacing the thought of her. "She makes my SPOOCH CRAWL!"

"OOOOOOOOO MASTER HAS A CRUSH!" GIR yelled, slamming into the floor in front of Zim from somewhere on the ceiling.

"A crush? My body shell is perfectly normal. There is no crushing!" Zim scoffed.

"Master likes Gazzy!" GIR danced around Zim's legs. "Master likes Gazzy!"

"Likes?" Zim raised an antenna, scowling at the cyan robot. "ZIM DESPISES ALL HUMANS! What is the meaning of your accusaTION?"

"You looooove her." GIR teased, ignoring his master's question.

"Loooove?" Zim tested the word. It sounded stupid. "Computer! Search a definition for the word: loooove."

"Love: an intense feeling of deep affection."

"Oh _that_." Zim grimaced. "Zim remembers _love."_ Zim thought back to his short, painful, and humiliating 'relationship' with Tak. Before she tried to take over Earth almost 6 years ago.

"There is no love here." Zim scoffed as he climbed up onto his toilet elevator while GIR continued to bounce around the room shrieking "Master likes Gazzy." Zim sank down into his labs.

"Love. Hmm… 'Love'. Looooove." Zim played with the word again and again. "Ha! AN INSULTING ACCUSATION!" Zim reached his base labs and began working on his plans for Earth's demise. Again, his mind began to wander. He thought of the storm again, and of their walk to his home. He thought of the flashes of lightning. Pale, white light... so destructive. He thought of her scowling face, and her soaked, purple hair.

Zim's antenna twitched. He stopped and looked at the plans he had been scrawling, they were as good as a blank page. Zim yelled in frustration, tore the papers from his desk and threw his pencil at the wall.

"Computer! Relay more details of this 'love' disease!"

"Love: deep emotional connection to another being or thing. Used by humans to find a significant mate."

"How does one…" The words caught in Zim's throat, he crossed his arms and scowled in the other direction. "_Catch love__?" _He groaned. He didn't want to believe it, but there had to be a reason he felt so strange. He might as well explore the possibility. A screen lowered down in front of Zim, it showed a human girl and boy.

Both were ugly, worm beasts.

They looked nervous and squeamish when near each other.

"Love can be caught by having a feeling of affection toward another being."

The human girl raised her leg and clasped her hands close to her face while looking at the human boy, who smiled and waved at the girl.

"When attraction has been formed, humans partake in 'courtship'." The human boy pulled a bunch of flowers from behind him and gave them to the girl, who looked happy to receive them. "Gifts and compliments can be classified as courtship. It is used to express feelings and confirm whether feelings are mutual."

"And if… 'feelings' are not mutual?" Zim asked, intrigued.

"Possible continuation of courtship, if all attempts are denied then humans try with a different human until a 'match' is made. The screen showed the boy with several different girls until one stopped. The boy and girl came together again, only they pressed their faces together.

"What was _that?"_ Zim asked.

"An action of affection known as a 'kiss'. Humans press their lips together as an intimate form of affection."

Zim felt his mouth. Would that still work if he didn't have lips like the humans? He shook his head, it didn't _matter._ He paced around his desk, eyeing the screen which played the scenes of the love disease over and over. The boy giving the flowers to the girl who embraced him, then kissed him. Zim smirked at the idea of the Gaz acting in such a ridiculous way. Then, again, he stopped.

"How does this HAPPEN?" Zim finally yelled in frustration. "I AM A MIGHTY IRKEN INVADER! How does this-." He fought the word from leaving his mouth. "_GIRL_ have such an _effect_ on ME!?" Zim turned**,** slammed his fists onto the table, and thought long and hard. He could still hear GIR from the ground floor, still singing. "MASTER LIKES GAZZY! MASTER LIKES GAZZY!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Dib hid in the bushes, not even a block away from Zim's base. He had just gotten a new headset complete with microphone bugs, binoculars, and a camera from Crop Circles magazine. Now all he needed to do was catch even a second's glimpse of Zim without his disguise. It was harder to fit in the small bush than it had been when he was a kid. Dib had become a bean pole in his age and his scythe like hairstyle had gotten longer and thicker.

He focused the lenses as far as he could into Zim's house, through the window he could see the shadow of the little robot bouncing around the house. He couldn't use that footage. Zim would make up some dumb reason why he had a robot. The kids at skool _still_ think he has a skin condition!

"Come on, Zim. Show yourself!" He whispered. Then Dib saw the robot stop and salute, and the faint red glow of his eyes. Zim was coming! Now was his chance! Then a squirrel ran into view and stared at Dib through the camera. The camera focused itself on the squirrel.

"No!" Dib shooed the squirrel away and focused back into Zim's house. By the time he had a clear image of him, Zim had his disguise back on. Dib sighed, took off his headset, and saw the same squirrel still staring him down from across the street. Dib picked up the nearest rock and threw it at the squirrel who ran away. Then he heard Zim's door. He ducked under the bush again and hoped Zim hadn't seen him. He put his headset back on and zoomed in on Zim, he was holding a fistful of dandelions and other random leaves.

_What the hell is he doing with that? _Dib thought. Zim held them behind his back and marched down the sidewalk, still unaware Dib was watching. He trailed him somewhat close behind. Ducking under bushes, behind trees and signs, still unseen. Eventually Dib followed Zim back to his own house.

_What's he doing?_

Dib got out from behind a sign, taking off his headset as Zim rang the doorbell with his flowers.

"Hey!" He called.

"I'm busy, Dib-stink." Zim said, indifferent to his presence.

"Busy? With what?" Dib walked up behind Zim and spun him around. He looked at the messy bouquet. "What's with the weeds?"

Zim spun around, and rang the doorbell again. "I'm busy." He repeated. His PAK opened up and his metal legs picked up Dib and lifted him away, setting him back down several feet away.

"I'm attempting courtship with the Gaz-human." Zim muttered, almost begrudgingly

Dib's jaw dropped. Courtship? With Gaz?

_Zim?! With MY sister?_

Dib stomped back over to Zim and smashed the dandelions onto the ground.

"Get out of here!" Dib yelled. Zim, trying his best to ignore the big headed worm-baby, bent down to pick up the flowers he had picked for the Gaz-beast.

"I am not leaving until I have 'courted' the Gaz." Zim could only grab a few of the flowers before Dib angrily smacked them away again.

"_You're _not doing ANYTHING with _my_ sister! Now get out of here!" Dib matched Zim's glare. He, again, picked up a few of the flowers just as the front door opened. Gaz hung on the door, clearly bored of both of them. She had already changed into something more comfortable since coming home from school, she wore a solid black t-shirt and purple striped shorts and her long purple hair was tied in a ponytail.

"What is it, Zim?" She asked, annoyed. Zim thrust his hand, half-full of smashed flowers, at Gaz. Still glaring at Dib, he gave her the ruined bouquet and stomped away. Gaz stood there with broken flowers, confused, and watched Zim go. Dib came into the house, fuming, and slammed the door muttering to himself about Zim. Then he turned toward Gaz, ripped away the flowers, and threw them out the window. Gaz was still confused about what was going on. As usual, Dib and Zim must have a thing going on.

_Who cares?_ She thought.

She pulled her GameSlave3 from her pocket and looked down to start playing again, just as she was about to walk away she noticed something yellow at her feet. It was the head of one of the dandelions Zim gave her. Dib must have broken it off. She bent down to pick it up and examined it closely, it was battered and smashed. Gaz stuck it in her pocket and continued her game.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Dib sat in his seat in class, quietly watching Zim. He was staring off into space with a thoughtful scowl, tapping his fingers on his desk, shaking his head every so often. Dib glared at his unknowing foe.

_The fuck was up with yesterday? _He thought, angrily. Dib had been racking his brain about what Zim could've possibly been up to, trying to give Gaz dandelions, but he was completely stumped. It just didn't make sense. He didn't check to see if they had a spy bug, or some sort of modified mind control pollen in them. They just seemed like normal weeds. Dib furrowed his brow. Whatever it was, it didn't sit right with him. Nothing good could come of Zim using Gaz in one of his nefarious plots. Messing with Dib all the time was one thing, he was used to it, but involving Gaz was making things personal.

Dib rolled up a piece of paper and threw it at Zim's head.

Zim felt a light thump on his head and snapped out of his trance, a paper ball dropped onto his desk. He looked up at Dib, who was staring him down. He made a motion of his fingers pointing at his eyes, then at Zim.

He looked stupid.

Zim returned his glare and flicked the ball away, looking forward again. He leaned against his desk and rested his chin on his hands, at war within his own mind. The Gaz human did not seem pleased with the gifting of common flora. Perhaps another form of courtship would provide better results. He shook his head. Or perhaps entertaining the idea of being interested in the human stink-filth was a waste of time to begin with. There was nothing obviously intriguing about the human, no clear reason why she haunted him, and nothing to gain in his mission from her shared interests. Nothing at all.

Perhaps she would like another type of flower...

Zim shook his head again and groaned. As usual the collective stink of the human children made him light headed, and his wig could only muffle the smell so much. He looked up at his blob of a teacher, Mr. Fitsky, as he waddled around ranting about some dumb human topic that didn't seem to have a point. He wore a tan, button-up shirt that he had slobbishly tucked into his black pants, and small, round glasses that hung on his potato nose. He was the epitome of the repulsive, dirty, drooling slobs of Earth that Zim despised. The stink was getting more and more repulsive, and the monotonic droll of the teacher bored him. He needed to get out of this class. Zim stood on his desk and waved his hand in the air, hoping the teacher would notice him.

"Yes, Zim?" Mr. Fitsky acknowledged.

"I have a MIGHTY NEED, to _leave_ the classroom."

The teacher stared at him with empty eyes and began to drool.

"Okay." Then he turned back toward his board and began writing again. Zim hopped down from his desk and marched out of the classroom, giving Dib a taunting smirk as he left.

"You're just going to _let _him _leave?" _Dib questioned.

"Yes." He groaned.

"Well… then… can I leave?" Dib asked. Again, Mr. Fitsky turned around to stare at Dib, who began to feel uncomfortable as he drooled again.

"Okay." He groaned and turned around again. Dib leapt out of his seat and ran out of the classroom, looking for Zim.

* * *

Zim grumbled over his lack of knowledge of Earth flowers as he walked down the hallway, kicking at the dirt on the floor.

"Filthy flora, filthy Gaz, filthy _Dib_." He hissed. The Dib and his giant head of smell had ruined his attempt with Gaz yesterday. He clearly did not like Zim's interest in Gaz. Which only made her more interesting. He would need another chance, another attempt without the Dib-brother's presence. He would only get in the way again. He would need to find her alone.

Zim turned the corner, and retreated behind the wall. The Gaz had been standing in the hall, going through her locker. He peaked around the corner, she didn't seem to notice him. Zim scowled as he looked at her.

_What on Irk is wrong with her?_

She was just another human. Just like all the stupid, monkey creatures that infested this awful, dirt planet. Just another human, other than her purple hair, and her hellsome eyes... and that odd, pale skin.

Suddenly Zim was knocked into the wall. Dib flipped him around and held him by his shirt.

"LISTEN, _ZIM__!_ I don't know what you're _doing_. I don't know what you're _planning. _But STAY AWAY FROM GAZ!" Dib yelled, inches from Zim's face. Zim looked back over to Gaz who had seen both of them. His spooch crawled just looking at her. This feeling in Zim's guts could not be ignored.

However, Dib could be.

The metal legs in Zim's PAK sprung out and forced Dib back, knocking him down, and ran at Gaz. He grabbed her shoulders and pinned his metal legs around her, putting holes in the lockers. Her eyes widened in surprise, Zim's grip on her shoulders tightened when he saw her amber eyes.

"Listen, little Gaz. I don't know what you've _done_, or what you're _doing_, but I _am_ goingto figure it out. Until then you are now property of _Zim._ You belong to _Zim_ now. Don't let your stink-brother tell you otherwise. You are _mine._" Gaz didn't move an inch, not believing what she was hearing. Then Dib began yelling and barreling down the hallway after him. Zim looked at him, then back at her.

_I hope this will work… _Zim thought as he smooshed his 'lips' on Gaz's. She blinked as Zim ran down the hallway from Dib. As one of his metal legs was folding back into his PAK it caught onto Gaz's skull necklace, breaking it off her neck and taking it with him. Gaz stood frozen in place. As Dib ran past her she stuck a foot out in his way, tripping him.

Dib fell with a crash onto the floor, he looked up at Zim as he skittered down the hallway. Before Dib could get back up the bell rang and students began pouring out of the classrooms, Zim disappeared around a corner.

"GAZ! What'd you do _that_ for? You let him get away!" Dib flipped over to snap at his sister, who had already begun walking down the hallway in the other direction. Dib got up and went after her.

"Gaz?" He asked, concerned. She walked silently, ignoring him.

"Gaz!" Dib tried again. Gaz launched her fist into Dib's gut, making him crumple down in pain. She ran down the hallway and out the doors of skool, not stopping until she was home.

She slammed the door to her room and locked it. She turned around and sank down to the floor, leaning against the door. Gaz sat there for a few seconds before reaching into her dress pocket, she pulled out the dandelion head she had kept yesterday and just looked at it.

_Zim kissed me._ She thought, over and over again. _Zim. KISSED. Me._

_Why would he do that?_

_Am I okay with that?_

_Did I… like it?_

It was just a short, hard peck on the lips. Nothing special. But why?

Gaz wasn't sure how she felt about Zim's little speech about her 'belonging' to him now, or what he thinks she 'did'. Why didn't she beat him up as soon as he _touched_ her? Zim is an alien. That was weird, wasn't it?

She cast the flower on the floor and walked over to sit on her bed. She pulled out her GameSlave3 to take her mind off of Zim. But, even on one of the easiest levels, she couldn't focus and the vampire piggies devoured her. She kept looking back at the lonely, battered flower on the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Zim strode proudly around his house, thinking of Gaz, and how easily he had escaped Dib. He would mark this day under 'successful'. GIR trotted into the room sucking on the straw of a chocolate, bubblegum suck monkey in his disguise. Suddenly GIR stopped, dropped his milkshake, and saluted Zim with red eyes.

"Master, your PAK is malfunctioning." Zim stopped and looked back at his PAK. One of the metal legs had gotten stuck when returning inside. He unfolded them to straighten them out, when something fell to the floor. GIR's eyes returned to cyan and he began to shriek and run wildly around the room.

"IT'S SCARY!" The robot cried. Zim bent down to pick it up.

"This is Gaz's…" Zim said to himself.

_I should return it. _He thought. It would be a good reason to see her again.

* * *

Dib walked home, still fuming, from skool. Zim had gone too far now. He would pay for what he did to Gaz. Dib shuddered at the thought of that alien cricket _kissing_ his little sister. Finally, Dib reached his house.

_Should I try to talk to Gaz? Is she okay?_ Dib thought as he opened the front door. He rubbed his belly where Gaz had punched him before.

_I'm sure it must have been traumatizing for her…_ Dib thought as he walked upstairs to Gaz's room. He knocked on her door.

"Gaz? You in there?"

"Go away." He heard from inside.

"I won't let him get away with it, Gaz."

"Get away with what?"

"He… I mean… at skool… when he…" Dib couldn't say it. It was just too awful.

"Go away, Dib." She snapped again.

Dib was about to speak again when he heard the doorbell ring. He went downstairs to open the door, and froze. Zim shank back, obviously not expecting Dib to answer the door. Dib's eye twitched as Zim darted his eyes from left to right before grinning awkwardly.

"Well, this has been fun." Zim dismissed and turned to leave. Dib screamed and tackled Zim in a fit of rage. He began punching and kicking him as Zim tried to do the same.

"FILTHY HUMAN! RELEASE ZIM!" Zim screamed as they rolled around in the dirt.

"YOU ALIEN SCUM!" Dib yelled as he swung at Zim. Dib felt something yank on the back of his shirt, pulling him off of Zim.

"Knock it off! Both of you!" Gaz shouted getting between Zim and Dib.

"Gaz! What are you _doing!?_ Why are you _helping_ him?" Dib shouted angrily.

"I'm not… I'm just-."

"After what he did?" Dib shouted, again.

"ZIM has done NOTHING to the Gaz! ZIM would NEVER do things to the Gaz!" Zim shouted from behind Gaz, pointing at Dib.

"Don't make such a big deal about it. It was nothing." Gaz snapped at Dib.

"Nothing?!" Dib shouted. "He… He…"

"It was _nothing."_ Gaz repeated.

Dib couldn't believe she was defending him. HIM! ZIM! The _alien_ that wanted to _destroy_ Earth!

Gaz looked back at a hurt Zim, and sighed.

"If you want to keep all of your limbs, just go back inside, Dib." Gaz said as she turned back to Zim.

"But, Gaz!" Dib shouted as Gaz grabbed Zim's arm and walked off in the other direction.

"Go inside, Dib." Gaz said.

Dib turned around and slammed the door to his house while Gaz walked off with Zim, who fidgeted as she dragged him along. Gaz let go of his arm and the two walked silently back to Zim's house. Zim was careful to avoid eye contact with Gaz. Whenever he would look down at her she would growl at him and he'd snap his attention elsewhere.

When they arrived, Gaz finally spoke.

"What's with you lately?" Gaz demanded.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Zim muttered, frustrated. He walked past her, opening the door.

"'Don't know what I mean'?" Gaz snapped, punching him in the back of the shoulder. Zim was knocked forward, his wig half-fell off his head, one of his antennae came up from under it. Zim whipped around to yell at the Gaz, but stopped. She was staring right at him. Zim's face felt hot with all of her attention focused on him, his antenna twitched.

"You've been hanging around my house lately, bugging me, and following me. You _KISSED_ me at skool today! What. Is. Your. Deal?!" Gaz stepped forward, threatening another punch, Zim backed up into his house, fixing his wig.

"MY deal? Zim has no _idea_ of what you speak of!" He crossed his arms and glared at the little, purple human. "It is yooouuu with the _deal. _I should have _never_ allowed you into my home. You have infected Zim with some sort of bug! A _filthy,_ Earth disease!" He began circling Gaz, ranting. "I cannot think straight, my chest feels wormy, my head is full of thoughts of _you_ and your…" Zim could not think of a fitting insult. He squirmed, fighting for words. "_EARTH hair!_ It's DISGUSTING!"

"Even NOW you work your evil with my brain! I'm having some sort of reaction to your… to… your…" Zim thought. What exactly was it about her that made Zim feel so strange? He could see nothing specific. He walked closer, looking for the trigger.

Zim got very close to her, just… _looking_ at her. Gaz shrank back, remembering what happened at skool. Was he going to do it again?

_Was I going to let him?_ Gaz blushed. Zim's eyes grew.

"THAT! What you _just _did! You did that before! That was the trigger! What are you doing to _Zim_?"

"N-nothing." Gaz stuttered.

"Where is the antidote?" Zim shouted.

"There's not-."

"How do I reverse the effects?"

"I don't-."

"_DON'T_ LIE TO ZIM! I _know_ you're lying! Zim has _never _felt this way before! You make me feel. I feel..." Zim whipped around, and crossed his arms again. "I feel… like you're _not_ an ugly, Earth weasel."

_Impossible. ALL Earthens are scum._

But when Zim thought of Gaz. The word that came to mind was not _scum._ Or revolting, or hideous, or stupid. It was not any adjective that he would normally describe a human with. Zim looked back at her again as she gave him a wary stare. No, not scum. It was intriguing, or intimidating, or appealing. Could GIR be right? For once? Was this feeling… attraction? For the human?

"You're not making any sense." Gaz crossed her arms, Zim matched her glare.

"_I. Know._" He snapped, turning away from her.

"Why did you come over anyway? You knew Dib would be mad." Gaz asked, shaking her head.

Zim remembered the necklace, he pulled it from his pocket and held it out to Gaz.

"This is yours." He said simply. Gaz touched her throat.

"I didn't even know it was gone." Zim pulled back and played with the clasp, nervously.

"Could I?" He asked. Gaz thought, turned around, and held her hair up. Zim put the little skull necklace around Gaz's neck. Being close to her made Zim's whole body _feel _again. His antenna twitched from under the wig. He thought about the human children on the screen, wondering if Gaz would want to be close to him like that as well. He clasped the necklace and stepped back.

Gaz turned around, fidgeting with her hands. She was about to say something when GIR came zipping in the room holding a precarious stack of waffles swimming in syrup.

"EAT MY WAFFLES!" GIR shrieked at Gaz. For once, she wasn't annoyed. She took a bite of one of the waffles and nodded at GIR who spun around to shove them in Zim's face.

"EAT MY WAFFLES!" GIR shrieked again. Zim groaned and ate a waffle as well. Then GIR dropped the plate, spilling waffles and syrup all over the floor, and nonchalantly walked over to the TV to put on the Scary Monkey Show as if nothing happened.

Zim and Gaz shared a look.

"I um. I should go. Thanks for my necklace… I guess." Gaz turned and reached for the door. Zim panicked.

"Wait! I err…." Zim stumbled. Gaz stopped. "I… um… DEMAND you partake in the Scary Monkey! It is _very_ interesting! You _must_ watch!"

"Dib is waiting for me."

"I care not of the actions of the _Dib_." Zim took her shoulders and lead her to the couch. "Come. You _must_ see the monkey now."

Gaz let him set her up on the couch. This was awkward, but it was better than being annoyed by Dib or ignored by her Dad. So she stayed with Zim and watched TV.

Zim sat a fair distance away from Gaz, sitting closer to GIR on the opposite side of the couch. He had removed his disguise, but he still felt uncomfortable in his own home. He kept glancing at Gaz and back at the horrible monkey. He thought about the humans on the screen from before. Would Gaz allow him to get closer? He scooted over, barely an inch. She didn't seem to notice. He could get closer. Zim kept sliding closer and closer to Gaz until they were an arms width apart.

Gaz glanced at Zim who finally stopped scooting toward her. His antennae wouldn't stop twitching and changing positions as he played with his hands.

She thought about everything he had said, about feeling sick, or whatever. About how he couldn't stop thinking about her, or how he still thought it was gross. She thought about his begrudging admittance to her not being entirely terrible, even as annoyed with it as he seemed to be. She thought about their walk through the storm, and the dandelions he gave her,.

Gaz shifted her gaze away.

_Does Zim_…?

_Do I…?_

Zim put his hand down beside him, so he didn't have to pick at his gloves anymore. Gaz looked at his hand, then back at the TV. She sighed and put her hand on top of his. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

Gaz was _touching_ him. And… he wasn't repulsed by it. He glanced down at her, but she intentionally didn't meet his eyes. He slowly relaxed, but didn't move his hand. They reached a quiet understanding and continued watching T.V. without another word, with her hand over his.

The sun had begun to set and Gaz had fallen asleep on Zim's shoulder some time ago. It had taken him a moment to compose himself, but now he watched her closely. She looked peaceful, no growl, no glaring, no threats. Only the quiet tide if her breathing, sweet and right and merciful. This was definitely a strange feeling, but he couldn't help but smile at her.

_Stop._ He thought, and his smile began to fade. Zim turned away from Gaz and back to the awful monkey. This wasn't right. This was dangerous, and he knew it. Soon Zim could stand neither Gaz, nor the monkey. He carefully slipped away, setting Gaz's head gently on the couch, and left the room. He stepped up on his toilet in the kitchen and looked back at Gaz, still sleeping peacefully, alone on the couch. As he descended, his antenna twitched.

* * *

_I never added any comments to my chapters since my hard edits, but I really wanted to address this scene in particular because it was one of the chapters I had really fleshed out._

_In the original, I had only mentioned that Zim left during the night and Gaz left when she woke up, but I never mentioned why. I used this part as an opportunity to add to Zim's internal struggle since the first story doesn't address his apprehension with being a ssss- a ssslo-, a sloorr- EK! It's too horrible to say._

_Anyway, the danger is clear in the sequel, but I didn't make it a clear plot point in the original._

_I had also inserted an overdue reference in this scene. The line "The tide of her breathing, sweet and right and merciful." is a line from the song Cherry Wine by Hozier, which I feel resonates with Zim and Gaz's relationship and I recommend you listen to it._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Gaz cracked her eyes open and blinked. Some awful, dirty monkey glared at her from the TV. She looked around, slowly remembering where she was. GIR was on the other end of the couch, sleeping loudly in a pool of robot... saliva?

She raised her head and squinted in the darkness, Zim was nowhere to be seen.

_Did I fall asleep?_ Gaz blushed, embarrassed. _What time is it?_ She stood up, brushed her clothes off, and quietly moved through the living room to the front door. She looked back again before stepping out into the night.

She walked quickly with her hands in her pockets and her head down, deep in thought until she got home. She quietly opened the front door to her home, snuck up the stairs, and entered her room without a sound.

"So. You're home." She heard a voice from the dark. A dumb voice.

"Get out of my room, Dib."

"Are you done hanging around the _enemy?"_ Dib accused. "Boy, I hope he made it home okay. It only took five hours."

"I said get out of my room."

"What are you _doing, _Gaz? Taking _his _side?"

"I don't care about your little feud. It doesn't matter who I talk to."

"Gaz. He's an _alien._ He's trying to _destroy_ the Earth! You're becoming a _traitor_ to your whole species!"

"My species is stupid." Gaz pushed Dib out of the way to put her bag away.

"What if he wins? Huh? Have you thought about which side you'll take then? Would you turn your back on your species _then?_ And what about Dad? Would you betray him? Would you betray _me?"_

"I'm not betraying anyone. Get out. Now." Gaz pushed Dib out of her room and slammed the door shut, locked it, and made her way to her bed.

"Gaz, I'm just trying to help you! I'm your brother!" Dib banged on the locked door until he gave up and stomped back to his own room. Gaz sighed and rolled over in her bed. It felt cold and uncomfortable and her mind was racing. She closed her eyes and eventually drifted back to sleep after a long, strange day.

* * *

Zim paced in the labs the next morning, thinking.

_Last night. With Gaz. That was weird. Wasn't it?_

"I must NEVER do that AGAIN! Letting the Gaz-beast into my base again, letting my guard down!" Zim squirmed in repulsion. "TOUCHING HER!" He shrieked.

"What would my _Mighty Tallest_ think of this Gaz-human interrupting my _amazing_ plans?"

Zim stopped. The Tallests. What _would _they think of Gaz? The thought sent a shiver up his spine.

_'__The human makes me feel'?_

Nonsense. There was nothing to be concerned about. It was far too soon to jump to such conclusions. Afterall, this 'love' disease was no match for Zim's superior brain. He was once a mighty Irken soldier! He has gone through vigorous physical and mental trials to become so! He cannot be thwarted by human emotions.

_All humans are scum. Including Gaz._

_Except Gaz. _

Zim shook his head. He had grown tired of fighting himself all night since he left Gaz alone on his couch.

"The Gaz has no interest in Zim, anyway." He grumbled. "She would not have left, otherwise." Even after all rational thought expired and Zim had gone back up to his living room last night, Gaz had already left.

_Stupid._ He thought, what did he expect? What would he have done if she was still there, anyway? Zim stood tall and began disguising himself for skool.

"GIR!" He called. Again, without warning, the little robot slammed down from the ceiling face first. Zim continued without pause.

"I need you to keep an eye out for the Gaz. Watch her. Let me know if she comes ANYWHERE near the base. Understand?"

"I like Gaz…" The robot cooed.

"No GIR. You don't. I mean… WE don't." Zim started up the path to the elevator. "Remember GIR. Watch her."

Zim went up the elevator to his ground base. "The brain-feels Gaz has affected me with must be fought. I will NOT SUCCUMB! I AM ZIM!" Zim yelled as he left the elevator and went off to another day at skool.

* * *

Zim spent the rest of the day fighting his brain-feels. All thoughts of Gaz were forcefully replaced with plans of destruction. That is, until he saw her. Gaz was eating lunch with Dib as usual, but UNusually, Gaz sat further away from him. Zim sat in his usual spot, observing her until Dib noticed him watching. Dib glared at Zim who immediately looked down and began poking and prodding at his food-goop.

_I am not watching the Gaz. _Zim thought, kicking himself for watching the Gaz. _I am planning world domination of this filthy planet._

Gaz looked up from her game. Zim was, as usual, picking at his food. Gaz looked back down at her GameSlave3. While not paying attention, the vampire piggies had crushed her health bar. She couldn't get in the game like she used to. Her mind was preoccupied with Zim, who had not noticed her since last night. She looked at Dib who was glaring at Zim from across the room.

_Stupid Dib._ She thought. _He's still mad at me for hanging out with Zim last night. I still don't see what the big deal was. It's not like I was _doing _anything with him._

Zim looked up, Gaz looked down.

_See?_ Zim thought, tapping his fingers on the table. _The Gaz has no interest in Zim._

Zim looked back at his slop again and glanced at his restless hand. It stopped tapping, he stared at it for a moment and furrowed his brow. Getting up to dump his food, he shook his head again.

_I am thinking of the destruction of all humans!_ Zim force-thought, still fighting the brain-feels. _No thoughts of Gaz or her… pleasant smelling Earth hair._

Gaz watched as Zim left the cafeteria, shaking his head, repeatedly. She frowned, thinking about last night. She still couldn't believe she fell asleep over there. She saw Dib staring at her from the corner of her eye.

"What's your problem?" She asked, annoyed.

"What's YOUR problem? You run off with the enemy and now you're staring at him!" Dib snapped. Gaz grumbled, getting up, she didn't have to listen to his ranting again. She dumped her food and walked out to go to break, like everyone else.

Gaz sat on the steps of the skool to play her GameSlave3 like every other day. But just like every other time she tried, she couldn't get into the zone.

Zim was frozen in place on the side wall of the stairs, hidden from view of the Gaz. She had chosen to sit directly above his sulking spot, and now he was trapped there for fear of being seen if he tried to move. He peaked over the wall, she was mashing the buttons on her game device in frustration. Zim dove back down on the side of the stairs.

_What do I do now?! If I move the Gaz will see me!_ The Earth children glanced at Zim in confusion, wondering why he was sitting there, but Gaz didn't notice them. She was too focused on the game.

Eventually Zim calmed down and sat quietly by the stairs. He was wondering whether or not he should confront Gaz again, or if he should just run away and hope she wouldn't notice him.

_What did the computer say about 'courtship' again? Gifts and compliments…_

The non-smelly, Earth flowers did not work as planned. What else would a human girl like as a gift? Zim looked around his feet and saw a smooth, oval rock.

_Humans like rocks, don't they?_

He picked up the grey rock and examined it. It was dull, humans like pretty, shiny rocks, Zim remembered. Although the rock wasn't solid grey, it was speckled with small, white dots. That could be 'pretty' to an Earth girl. Right? Zim polished the rock with his shirt, it didn't 'shine' but it looked much cleaner. Zim peaked over the wall again, Gaz was still on her game device. Still there. Zim looked at his gift for Gaz, took a deep breath, and straightened his back. He marched out from behind the wall and, just as he had figured, the Gaz noticed him immediately.

"Hello!" Zim began, confidently, "I would like to present you with this 'pretty' Earth rock!" Zim said handing Gaz the stone.

"It is shiny! Is it not?"

"Um… yeah. It's shiny." Gaz said, spinning it around in her hands. It was sorta pretty. She liked the shade of grey, and the white specks.

"Then I have 'gifted' successfully?" Zim asked, leaning toward Gaz, raising an eyebrow. Gaz gave a half smile, Zim was so dumb.

"Yeah."

Silence fell upon the playground. All eyes on the two on the steps, mostly on Gaz. Gaz was _smiling._ At _Zim._ For everyone that ever knew Gaz knew for a fact: Gaz didn't smile, unless something bad was going to happen. Students exchanged worried looks and hushed whispers. Terrified high schoolers backed away from the pair as if Gaz would explode into fiery, destructive rage at any moment.

Zim saw none of this, if he did, he would have freaked out and boasted about how human he was. All he did see was that, not only had he successfully 'gifted' Gaz, but he had made her smile as well. The brain-feels felt stronger than before. He decided he would allow himself to sit beside the Gaz, he could still fight the brain-feels from here.

Zim was staring at her again. What did he want? Gaz could feel herself start to blush. Zim poked her cheek.

"What is that?" Zim asked, interested. Gaz smacked his hand away.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Or _something__?"_ Zim squinted at her.

"Nothing." Gaz repeated.

"You've done that before. And I feel the feels again. What are you doing?"

"What 'feels' are you talking about?" Gaz glared at Zim.

"Zim has... told you before!" Zim crossed his arms and looked away from Gaz. His antenna twitched.

"What? That I'm _not_ an ugly, Earth weasel

"Yes… you are… a slightly more _appealing_ Earth weasel."

"What?" She snapped. Gaz was getting mad. Zim looked back at her. She wasn't _just_ appealing. She was… she was…

"Like the rock!" Zim said, quickly.

"Huh?" Gaz asked, confused.

"You are like the pretty, shiny, Earth rock!" Zim said pointing at his gift. Gaz's face went full-on red.

_Did Zim just call me… pretty?_

"Your face is malfunctioning again." Zim remarked, sounding worried. Gaz looked away.

"Gaz-human?"

Gaz got up and walked into the skool without a word. Zim watched her go, now confused, as she slammed the door behind her.

_What's wrong now?_ Zim huffed, frustrated. He looked down at the rock Gaz had left, picked it up, spun it in his hands and scowled.

_Stupid. Comparing the Gaz to the rock was a STUPID decision. Now I had upset her._

He sighed and cast the stone aside, leaning his chin on his fists and glaring at the dirt.

_Why do I care? _Zim thought.

…

...

…

Zim looked down at the stone, again.

...

…

…

* * *

Gaz walked quickly down the empty hallway, fighting back tears.

_Stupid Zim. _Gaz thought. He called her pretty!

It wasn't that Gaz didn't appreciate the compliment. She couldn't care less. It was just another _thing_ with him! Zim had been being so _stupid_ lately. Giving her those flowers, that rock, calling her pretty. She didn't want Zim to be nice to her. She didn't want to have to _choose._

"Gaz-human!"

Gaz ignored him, walking faster.

"Gaz!"

"Go away, Zim." She snapped, without turning around.

"Gaz!"

"Leave me alone!"

"Zim is sorry!" Zim yelled down the hallway. "Wait!"

Gaz could hear the tapping of the spider legs running down the hallway. Zim skid in front of Gaz and backed her into the wall, retracting his PAK legs.

"Please do not be upset. I was trying to compliment you!"

"Get out of the way, Zim." Gaz said, trying to move past him.

"Just listen to me!" He snapped, Gaz stopped and crossed her arms in frustration. Zim's antenna twitched again as he stuttered. "I don't understand this, or you, or me, but I want to!"

Gaz glared at Zim.

"I like the brain-feels."

_What if he wins? Would you turn your back on your species then? What about dad? Would you betray him?_

Gaz looked away.

"I… I want the brain-feels."

_Would you betray me?_

Gaz looked at Zim, still glaring.

_My species is stupid._

Gaz leaned forward and kissed Zim on his cheek. Zim did not expect affection, he jumped back. His antennae flung straight up in the air, knocking off his wig, in surprise. He scrambled to put it back and held it. Gaz blushed. Zim blinked.

Did that mean the Gaz was not angry with Zim? Did she accept his courtship? Did Gaz have feels too?

"Did...you…" Zim tried to speak. "You... forgot your Earth rock." He pulled out Gaz's stone and held it out. Gaz took it and gave another half smile, she put it in her pocket, with her dandelion.

"Thanks."

Gaz hugged him. Zim, startled, reeled back with his arms up. The Gaz was _touching_ him again, she squeezed him with her arms. Just like the two humans. Zim put his arms around the Gaz and held her for a moment, like in the depiction.

She wasn't disgusting. She wasn't a smelly, ugly, worm baby like all the others. She wasn't stupid like her sibling, she wasn't repulsive like her species.

_She was pleasant._

Zim squeezed her.

_And she was mine._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Zim paced back and forth in his living room as the rain poured hard outside.

"Cursed acid-liquid." He muttered once in awhile.

_It wasn't fair._ Zim thought. His Gaz was waiting for him. And Zim was out of his protection-paste. The only place to acquire more was skool, which he couldn't go to because of this rain! Zim took one final look at the rain and retreated down to his base labs.

"Gaz love-pig must be distraught that her ZIM has not accompanied her on this _filthy_ Earth day." Zim remarked, annoyed. "No matter. Today is a day for research. _Plaaannns_."

Zim had not been able to focus on his mission since he realized his infatuation with the Dib-sister. The Almighty Tallest must be wondering what he has been up to. Although, naturally, certain things will be left out.

"Perhaps it is time for an update." Zim said, sitting before his enormous screen.

"Computer!" Zim called. Then he heard thunder rumble from the ground floor, making him remember the rain, and Gaz.

_Perhaps just a quick look._

"Locate Gaz Membrane." He demanded.

A map of the town opened up on his screen and a blip began to beep a fair distance from his base. It began zooming in until a picture formed on the screen. The camera Zim had placed at skool turned to locate Gaz. She sat on the steps playing with her Gamey-Thing. Her peers played in the rain, floating around singing 'we love rain' like the ridiculous meat-bags they were.

She sat alone, concentrating on the destruction of the virtual creatures that opposed her. Zim leaned forward, admiring his love-pig, with a smile spread on his face. A smile that quickly faded when he saw the Dib sit beside her. He could see that he was talking to her, but the rain interfered with the microphone so he could not hear what he was saying. All he knew was that his Gaz punched him in his pitiful organs, which threw him over the side of the stairs and into a large puddle.

Zim's smile returned.

* * *

Gaz walked outside and sat in her usual place on the stairs, her dumb classmates had already taken full advantage of the rain, splashing around and singing songs that made her head sick.

Zim hadn't come today, probably _because_ of the rain. So Gaz turned her attention to the vampire piggies, which she was able to quickly destroy in mass numbers.

She heard a beeping sound and looked around but found nothing, the beeping stopped so she continued her game.

"Hey, Gaz." Dib called from behind her. The sickness in her head multiplied as her brother sat beside her.

"Where's _Zim?"_ He spit. Gaz punched him in the gut, pushing him off the side of the stairs. She heard the splash of what was probably a very big puddle. A half smile grew on Gaz's grim face.

"Very funny." Dib said coming around the corner, now sopping wet. His scythe hair fell limp on the side of his face.

"I'm just trying to help, you know."

"It's none of your business." Gaz said, annoyed, not looking up.

"An _alien_ is trying to get his _alien_ claws on _my_ sister. And it's none of my _business?"_ Dib snapped.

"No." Gaz snapped back.

"He's an _alien_, Gaz! That's disgusting! He's trying to take over Earth!"

"Tak is an alien." Gaz shot a menacing glare at Dib, who blushed. "And she did a better job at trying to destroy the Earth in less than a week than Zim's done in eight years."

_Tak._ Dib thought. _I hadn't seen her in years._

Dib thought back about his childhood crush, back in elementary skool, who had tried to make Earth an offering full of snacks to her leaders.

"That's different." He said, finding his voice. "I thought she was human."

"Yeah well, she wasn't." Gaz said, packing her backpack.

"Where are you going?" Dib yelled.

"Zim's house." Gaz said, walking out in the rain.

"Like _hell_ you are!" Dib ran up and grabbed Gaz's shoulder. Suddenly, a toy rabbit flew out from Gaz's backpack and attacked Dib. Everyone gathered around to watch as Dib wrestled with a stuffed animal and laughed. In the rain, the rabbit short circuited and fell limp. Dib threw it away and tried pushing through the circle of mocking teenagers. When he finally broke through, Gaz was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Zim had contacted the Tallests and was now boasting about his mission, his promotions in the grade system, how he stopped Dib from entering his labs on multiple occasions, and his progress on his latest plan, which wasn't much to tell since he was still thinking of a plan.

The only thing he was careful to not mention was Gaz. He didn't want the Tallest to know about her. Not quite yet. He couldn't risk it.

"And so I have begun plans to once and for all _destroy_ this nasty planet. And this time, with my new home defenses, the Dib-human will not interfere." Zim boasted while pacing back and forth not paying attention as Tallest Red barely listened, bored, and Tallest Purple fell asleep.

"Yep. Yeah. That's great, Zim." He droned. Tallest Purple began to snore.

"INTRUDER ALERT." Zim's alarm blared, waking Tallest Purple up.

"Snacks?" Purple asked, dazed and groggy.

"What is it now, Zim?" Red asked.

Zim ran and checked his security screens, Gaz had entered his base and was making her way down to his labs.

"Um NOTHING! My Tallest! NOTHING AT ALL!" Zim panicked, blocking view of the security screen. "Only a simple… um… EARTH SQUIRREL!" He grinned, feigning innocence.

"An Earth what?" Tallest Purple asked.

"AN EARTH SQUIRREL! YES! Just a pesky _vermin_ chewing on my wires." Zim yelled, laughing nervously. He heard the elevator lower Gaz down, and the doors opened.

"Zim?" She called.

"What was that?" Tallest Red asked looking around the side of the screen. Thank Irk Gaz was out of view. Zim ran at her and began pushing her back into the elevator.

"Get out of here. I will deal with you later." He whispered.

"What are you- Hey! Quit it!" Gaz said, angrily. The rain had drenched Gaz and touching her burned his hands, he yelled and shrunk away. She looked over at the enormous screen on the wall of Zim's labs to see two, green aliens that looked like Zim, only a little taller. Zim had grown since he came to Earth, something he boasted about a lot. Height was important to him for some reason.

"Aren't those your leaders?" She asked, walking past Zim.

"Gaz, no!" He seethed, still in pain.

Gaz walked up to the screen to take a better look. Once she came into view, the Irkens made disgusted faces.

"What _is_ that?" Purple shouted, pointing.

"Ugh! Isn't that a human?" Red sneered. Gaz made a face at the green aliens.

"NO! I mean… YES!" Zim shouted, quickly standing in front of Gaz with his arms outstretched. "But she is… um… my SLAVE! YES! I have hypnotized her!"

Zim turned and began making weird, wavy motions at Gaz. "Go now SLAVE! Prepare me some of your _DELICIOUS_ Earth food!"

Zim darted his eyes at the elevator, motioning for Gaz to leave. Gaz kicked Zim in the gut and stomped away. He squealed in pain and folded over, holding himself up on his control panel.

"It's… still a work in progress." Zim gasped, clutching his squeedily spooch. "But my slave no less! Perfectly normal as you can see!" Zim rose and grinned, innocently. Both of his leaders looked suspicious.

"Alright, well… good work, I suppose…" Tallest Red said, confused.

"We have to go now." Tallest Purple lied. The screen went black. Zim breathed, deeply.

_That went well._ He thought, triumphantly. He turned around, Gaz had left his lab up the elevator. Zim ran to the same elevator and followed her up.

Gaz was making her way to the door by the time Zim reached her. Excitedly, he grabbed Gaz in a full hug. Which quickly turned sour as his whole body was burned by the rain that still drenched her. Gaz pushed him away, still mad.

"What was _that?"_ Gaz demanded.

"I was _trying_ to show _affection_ for my love-pig!" Zim groaned, shaking water off.

"Not _that_." Gaz snapped. "The whole slave thing. And quit calling me 'love-pig'!"

Zim shifted, uncomfortably. "I didn't want them to-."

"Are you _embarrassed_ of me?" Gaz shouted.

"What?" Zim asked, confused.

"You heard me." She said, waiting, she folded her arms and tapped her foot.

"Why would I be embarrassed?" Zim cocked his head to one side.

"I'm human. Not… Ekren, or whatever."

"Irken?" Zim corrected.

"Whatever." Gaz turned her head away.

"Gaz. " Zim started, also crossing his arms, looking very serious. "I'm not embarrassed of you. It is _far_ more complicated than that."

"How?" She snapped. Zim flattened his antennae and looked away.

"You… It's…" He stumbled for words.

_If she knew, would she leave?_

"It's complicated." He said again.

"Yeah sure. I get it." Gaz turned and opened the door.

"Gaz wait!" Zim said as he reached out to grab her hand, but the rain still poured outside. It burned Zim and he retreated back into his home as Gaz walked off, leaving Zim alone.

* * *

Dib lay on the bed in his room thinking. What was he going to do with Gaz? How could he convince her to stay away from Zim? I mean, Zim was ZIM! If _that_ wasn't enough to get her to cross the street when he came near, then how could he do it? Zim is an alien, what more did she need?

_Tak is an alien._ Dib sighed and rubbed his face under his glasses.

Tak…

Dib sighed again, and rolled out of bed. Then he heard the front door slam. He went to the door and peeked out to see Gaz stomping past him and into her own room before slamming the door again.

_Maybe I didn't_ have _to convince her._ Dib thought, smiling, and shutting his door.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Zim followed Gaz to skool, she still wasn't speaking to him, which frustrated Zim.

"Love-pig?" He asked, coyly following her.

"Don't call me that." She said, not turning to acknowledge him, playing her GS3.

"What have I done?" Zim asked, for the third time in a row. Gaz sighed. He was so _stupid_.

"I am not embarrassed of you, Gaz! I'm embarrassed of _myself_. My leaders… They wouldn't understand. _I _don't even understand." He pleaded. He tried to stand in front of Gaz, but she moved around him. "This is not something _normal_ on my planet. Even if you WERE Irken!"

Still she ignored him, walking along the sidewalk, not paying attention to him.

"Mates are _assigned_ to us. We don't even share affection! We don't breed with each other, we don't talk to each other, we would barely _see_ each other! How could I explain _this_ to my Tallests? You don't even understand what _this _could mean for us. For _both _of us!"

Gaz began walking across the street.

"GAZ!" Zim yelled, jumping into her, knocking her over on the other side of the street. A car horn blared past them and disappeared around a corner. Gaz whipped around to yell at Zim before she saw the car screech past them.

"Woh…" She muttered. Gaz was almost _killed_. She looked at Zim who immediately began moving her body around, checking all of her appendages for injuries.

"Are you hurt?" He stammered, then gasped dramatically, her knees were scraped on the sidewalk when he tackled her. "Your leg joints!"

"I'm fine." Gaz moved Zim off of her and began getting up, Zim held his arms out as if she would fall over. She brushed gravel and dirt off of her clothes and looked at her knees. Zim looked really worried, then somewhat disgusted.

"Why is it _red?"_ He questioned, kneeling to examine it. It was a deep, red color, with a peculiar, irony scent.

"I don't know. It just is." She didn't want to have to explain about human biology and oxygen in the blood. She winced, wiping gravel off her knees.

"Is it fatal?" He asked, his eyes wide with worry.

"No." Gaz snickered. "I just need a bandage. But…" She looked at Zim, and smiled. "Thanks."

Zim shrunk into his shoulders and smiled back, nervous. Gaz opened her arms and hugged him again. Zim, knowing what to do now, hugged her back. Then a scowl formed on his face and he pushed her back.

"Why weren't you paying attention?" He yelled, surprising Gaz. "That human could have-." Then he stopped, turning his attention away from Gaz looking around the streets as if he was going to spot the long gone car.

"WHERE IS IT?!" He yelled, standing up higher on his PAK legs. A half smile spread on Gaz's face. "COME BACK HERE AND FACE THE WRATH OF _ZIM!"_

_He really cares about me…_

"FACE ME, HUMAN _FILTH!_ YOU WILL PAY FOR DAMAGING MY LOVE-PIG!"

Gaz sighed. "Girlfriend." She corrected. Zim turned around, confused.

"Eh?"

"Call me your 'girlfriend' not love-pig." She took Zim's hand and pulled him down off his PAK legs. She began walking off with his hand in hers. Zim, confused, allowed it and walked beside her.

* * *

Gaz and Zim arrived at skool, still holding hands. Gaz explained that it was a gesture of affection on Earth. A way for others to know that they were a 'couple', or 'mates' as Zim understood it, and were off-limits to other suitors. As they walked along the skool yard, they received multiple confused stares and whispers, which made Zim jumpy and nervous.

"Just ignore them." Gaz said, sensing his panic. She tugged him toward the entrance where not as many students would watch them.

"Look! The _freaks_ are dating now!" Zim heard a girl cry out, laughter broke out behind them. Zim whipped around, glaring in the direction of the noise. A tall, blonde girl with metal loops in her ears sneered at them, leaning against the fence surrounded by other snickering females.

"Freaks?" Zim shouted. "Zim is NO FREAK! How _DARE_ you mock me you SNIVELING WORM-MONKEY!"

The laughter grew, Zim's eye began to twitch. Gaz pulled him inside before he could shout at them again.

* * *

Dib opened his locker to gather the books for his next class, still thinking about Gaz. He didn't dare knock on her door this morning, she might still be pissed about whatever happened yesterday, so he left for skool without her. He hoped she was okay.

"Did you hear about the green kid and that scary girl?" Dib overheard a couple of girls chatting a few lockers away. "I think they're dating now."

Dib's stomach dropped to the floor. There was only one green kid. And only one scary girl. He balled his hands into fists.

"Yeah, I know! I saw them _holding_ _hands_ this morning." Another girl joined in.

"I heard they _kissed _the other day." Another girl said.

_"__Eeeeeeeewwwww!" _They all squeeled, giggling.

Dib slammed his locker shut, hearing stuff fall inside it, and stomped away.

* * *

Zim trailed Gaz most of the day, which Gaz didn't seem to mind. Sure, people stared and whispered, but she was used to that sort of attention. Zim, however, hated having all eyes on him, it made him terribly twitchy and paranoid. Luckily his Gaz was around to focus his attention away from the murmuring crowd.

Other than their 'official announcement', it was a relatively normal day. They attended separate classes, she kissed his cheek before they left and glared at anyone who said anything about it. After the first few hours of skool, everyone moved on, nobody cared anymore. Everything was going better than she thought it would.

_The only problem is Dib_. She thought.

She knew she was going to get an earful about this. She already had three or four people tell her that Dib was looking for her and Zim. She knew she'd have to face him at lunch, they couldn't dodge him forever.

"Gaz?" Zim asked. She snapped out of the trance her thoughts put her in and looked at Zim who watched her, curiously.

"I'm fine. I gotta go." She turned around and walked into her class.

_Gaz had been doing that a lot today. _Zim thought.

_"Zim."_ Someone hissed a ways behind him. He turned to see the big-headed boy pushing through students, giving him a deathly glare. People started to gather around them, expecting a show.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're _doing__?" _He yelled, threateningly.

"I know not of what you mean, stink-boy." Zim turned to leave but Dib caught him by the PAK and slammed him into a wall, kids gathered closer, forming a circle around the two enemies.

"Don't you _fucking_ dare, ZIM! What did you do to Gaz?"

"Release me NOW, putrid worm-beast!" Zim struggled, pushing Dib away. Dib reeled back and punched Zim hard in the face and knocked him to the ground. Kids groaned, pointing and laughing.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO GAZ?!" Dib yelled again. Zim wiped his mouth, matching Dib's deadly glare.

"Let me through. Get out of my way. Move!" Zim saw a flash of purple moving through the crowd of mocking children.

"Dib!" Gaz called, breaking through the crowd.

"Stay out of this, Gaz!" Dib snapped, ignoring her.

"Dib, knock it off!" She tried to pull him away from Zim as he threatened another hit, but he pushed her back.

"I said stay out of this, Gaz!" Dib turned and yelled right into Gaz's face.

"You will _not _speak to her that way, insolent fool-boy!" Zim came up behind Dib, threw him to the side, and stood in front of her. Dib lost his balance and fell over. Kids laughed and jeered at both of them.

"Gaz, what the _hell _are you doing?" Dib demanded, getting up. "He's an alien!"

"Shut up, Dib! I can do whatever I want!" Gaz yelled behind Zim, who kept her behind him, protectively.

"What did he do to you? Mind control? Black mail? Some kind of brain erasing ghost?"

"You're so _STUPID!"_ Gaz shouted, pushing Zim out of the way. "You're so bent on your _stupid,_ little feud, you don't even CARE about what _I _want! Here I am trying to be _happy_ for the first time in YEARS, and all you can think about is if he's trying to CONTROL me, when YOU'VE been trying to control me this whole time!"

Dib stepped back as Gaz backed him up, pushing him every few feet. The circle grew wider, making room for the fighting siblings.

"Well guess what, Dib?" She shouted, pushing him again, making him fall over. "You _can't _control me. I can date whoever I want, whenever I want to! And you have no _fucking_ say in it!"

Gaz turned around and walked off, taking Zim's hand and pulling him with her. Dib sat there watching her leave with Zim. Everybody took a long look at Dib before splitting up into their classrooms. Dib got up and walked to his.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

A new episode of Mysterious Mysteries was on, but Dib didn't care, The whole show had practically plummeted since the host went crazy after interviewing Zim and Dib.

Besides, Dib's mind was occupied.

_Zim and Gaz. Gaz and Zim.__Zim… and Gaz….__Gaz… and Zim…__My sister… and… an alien…_

Dib punched his bedroom wall, denting it. He was still mad at Zim for whatever he was doing to Gaz.

_Maybe he wasn't doing anything. _Dib thought. Afterall, Zim hadn't really done anything in years.

_Which means another plan was overdue. A plan involving Gaz somehow._ Dib punched the same place in his wall, denting it further.

_You're so STUPID!_ Dib thought of Gaz's outburst at skool today. He hadn't seen her since the fight. _Here I am trying to be happy for the first time in YEARS!_

Dib sighed and sat on his bed. As much of a pain Gaz had been most of his life he still loved her to death. She was his sister after all. He only wanted to protect her, he only wanted her to _be_ happy. But could she really be happy with Zim? Zim had been his enemy for years, could he trust him?

_Could I afford not to?_ He was sure if he didn't ease up on Gaz, she would kill him. He was incredibly lucky she didn't maim him today at skool.

_But Zim could do worse. To Gaz._ Dib brushed that off quickly. He knew his sister could take care of herself. If she wanted to she would have crushed Zim like the alien bug he was. But she didn't. Maybe she really liked Zim.

_Maybe he really liked her...__Zim and Gaz...__Gaz… and Zim._

Dib held his head in his hands. He had been going through the same conversation in his head since Gaz left him in the hallways.

_Why ZIM, why did it have to be ZIM?_ Dib thought angrily. _It could have been anybody in the whole skool! Keef, Torque, even IGGINS! Why did it have to be ZIM!?_

Dib got up and punched his wall a third time, breaking a hole straight through.

* * *

Zim sat on the couch, playing with Gaz's hair and examining it closely. He never studied human hair before. It was like tiny threads of antennae, only without the sensitivity, and with no obvious purpose. Gaz played her GS3 while Zim ran his hand through her hair. It felt nice but it distracted her. She sighed and put it away, sitting closer to Zim, the scowl from earlier had still been plastered on her face.

"Are you alright?" Zim asked, lifting his hand away from her hair.

"No." she snapped. Zim moved both hands off of her. He didn't want to provoke her through contact, she was a very touchy human. She sat up off of Zim and folded her arms.

"Have I upset you again?" Zim asked, cautiously.

"No, it's Dib." She snapped again. Zim relaxed. At least it wasn't him.

"I just… I mean… he's just so..." She stopped and groaned in frustration. Zim scooted toward his love-p- _girlfriend_ and patted his hand on her knee, he wasn't sure how to comfort her, but he wanted to try. Gaz's mood didn't change.

_Why did he have to be that way? He's such a paranoid, overprotective, crazy jerk!_ Gaz thought, angrily. Over the years Dib had become more like Dad than Dad has. Telling her where she can and can't go, how late she goes out and when she should come home. She was sick of it. She looked at Zim for a moment and a dark smile spread on her face, she was curious.

_Dib thinks he can control me?_ Gaz leaned forward and kissed Zim square on the mouth. He was taken back, surprised by the sudden affection. Gaz moved over on top of Zim and straddled him on the couch.

"What are you-" Zim asked before Gaz kissed him again. Deeper, more sensual. Zim paused, unsure what to do, then relaxed, allowing her to work. She knew more about human affection than he did. She ran her hands along his body, which felt strange. But… a good strange.

He tried to do the same, awkwardly moving his hands along her body. She separated from him to remove her shirt. Zim blushed a deep, emerald green.

She was wearing a small, black shirt-like thing to hold the masses of extra skin on her chest. Such skin was supposed to be very attractive toward human males, and was only presented when mates became…. Intimate.

"What's the matter?" Gaz asked, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Zim stayed silent, just… looking at her.

"Would we… I mean… what are we… doing?" He stammered, looking up at her.

"Well… it's kind of an… intimate… ritual." She stammered as well, blushing.

"Would that… I mean, I'm not… human. Would we work?" He asked. Gaz smiled.

"We'll see." Gaz kissed him again and Zim relaxed.

* * *

Dib trudged to Zim's house, kicking a pebble along with him. He decided he needed to apologize to Gaz, and since she had not come home from skool, this is where she probably would be. He eyed the defensive gnomes as he walked through Zim's yard. He wouldn't put it past Zim to send them after him right around now. He walked up the stairs, knocked on his door, and waited.

And waited.

And waited...

He knocked on the door again, tapping his foot.

_What's taking him so long?_ Usually Zim jumped at the chance to send his gnomes after Dib. Dib moved over to the window and looked inside.

What he saw would haunt him forever.

Gaz and Zim were sprawled out on top of each other on the couch, sleeping. But… they were…

Dib fell backwards and ran from the house. A slew of emotions raced around in his head. Anger, worry, dumbstruck confusion, more anger... rage… revenge. Dib ran all the way home and stood in front of his garage.

_Zim will pay._ Dib thought as he pulled the garage door up. In the darkness Dib saw the large silhouette of his repaired Irken ship.

_And I know just who to call._


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The next day at skool Dib completely avoided Gaz at all costs, she didn't come home last night.

_Probably spent the night at Zim's_. Dib gagged at the thought. He sat quietly in his seat, then Zim marched in and Dib couldn't help but glare. He sat in his seat without a care in the world. Dib's hands clenched into fists, fighting not to make another scene. Dib looked away, thinking.

He barely got any sleep last night, he couldn't stop thinking about what he saw.

Clothes scattered on the floor, green and pale, white skin and purple hair, and his sister. _His baby sister_. Sleeping in the arms of that disgusting, green skinned, alien COCKROACH! Dib broke his pencil in half, he jumped, not paying attention to his own rage. He looked back over at Zim who leaned back in his seat with a _smile_ on his face. Dib was fuming, he almost snapped and ran to beat his sorry, green butt, but Mr. Fitsky waddled in the room, beginning class.

_Zim would be sorry. I made sure of that last night._

Last Night

Dib typed commands into his ship's controls, furiously. He kept pressing the wrong buttons and cursing under his breath. He had figured out what each Irken symbol on the keyboard meant a while ago, but he couldn't think straight. He could barely believe what he was doing. Finally, he found the coordinates to the interior of the Irken ship. Dib thought for a second. With a single push of a button he could contact her. He breathed deeply, closed his eyes, and pushed it.

He knew it had to be done. Not only for the sake of Gaz, but the sake of the world. Zim had caused too much trouble for Earth, but now he has _definitely_ gone too far. He opened his eyes. There was a symbol that matched the Irken symbol on his ship on the screen and a few strange letters he didn't understand, probably the Irken language.

He heard static and a short beep, then she came up on the screen.

Dib's heart fell to the floor.

At first she looked curious, then her violet eyes shot him a dark glare and her antennae flattened, threateningly. Her ship was dark, the only light came from the screen shining on her pale, green face.

"_You_." Tak hissed, snapping Dib out of his trance.

"Um… yeah… me." Dib stuttered. He hadn't seen her in years, she looked different than he remembered, although he hadn't seen her true form very much before the… incident.

"You _dare_ contact me?" She snapped. "In my own ship?!" Her voice hadn't changed, he remembered the conversations he had with her in the skool yard. She had been the only person to really listen to him. She even made it seem like she cared.

"What do you want, Dib?!?" She yelled. Dib snapped up again and blushed.

_She remembers my name_.

"I need your help." He said, quickly. Tak crossed her arms and sat back in her seat, her scowl darkened.

"Why on IRK would I help _you_?" She spit.

"Because it involves getting revenge on Zim." Tak raised an eyebrow at him, he smirked.

"I thought you two were companions." Her glare returned. So did his.

"Zim is _NOT_ my friend." He snapped at her, then retreated. He couldn't let her go, if she hung up on him she wouldn't answer again, and he would lose his chance.

"It's… It's my sister, Gaz."

"Your scary sibling can't take care of herself?" She mocked.

"Usually she can but… Zim. I think he's using her somehow. She thinks he loves her."

Tak raised an eyebrow again.

"And today. I saw… he..." Dib avoided eye contact with her, "I saw them together." He glanced at her, she didn't get it.

"Like… together… together."

Tak's expression changed from hatred to disgust in seconds.

"Ugh! You can't be serious!" She squealed, repulsed. "With a _human_???" Dib blushed.

_Were humans really that disgusting to her?_

"That's why I need your help." He said, she got over her disgust and glared at him suspiciously.

"Why do you need my help with-," She gagged. _"That__?"_

"I want you to kill him." Dib said. She paused, thinking. "I want him to pay for what he did to her. I want it to be painful." He could see a glint of interest in her eye, she smirked.

"I think we can work something out."

* * *

Gaz walked away with her food, this was where she usually sat with Dib. But not today. She turned the other way and sat with Zim at lunch. She got a few stares, but she didn't care. Even Zim was surprised when she came over. He didn't usually sit with anyone at food-time, he quickly made a spot for her beside him. She smiled, thinking about last night, which had gone better than she had thought it would, for obvious reasons. Zim blushed, probably thinking the same thing.

She sat beside him and started eating quietly. Zim watched her eat her food-mass known as 'mashed potatoes' disgusted. He quickly hid his food and ate something from a little, purple bag with his alien insignia on it.

"What's that?" she asked as Zim popped little, white circles in his mouth.

"Skoosh-beans." He said, quietly. "I ordered them from Foodcourtia the other day. I finally met the height requirement for fresh bags."

Gaz raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure if she heard that right.

"Could I have one?" She asked holding out her hand. Zim gave her one and watched her examine it. It was just a little, white circle, like a colorless Gobstopper. She popped it in her mouth.

Almost as soon as it hit her tongue it melted into warm, sugary liquid. She swallowed it and gave Zim a thumbs up, he began eating them again.

"It's kinda sweet." She said, drinking her milk to get the taste out of her mouth. "Got anything else?"

Zim reached into his PAK and gave her three more packets of different colors, happy to share his foods with his love-girl.

"This is kinda like your frozen cream." He said pointing to another purple bag with a toothy smiley face on the front. "There's a stick inside, you just scoop the jelly out and suck on the stick."

"Like a fun dip?" Gaz asked, Zim gave her a blank stare. He moved on.

"This is kinda hot, I don't think you'll like it." He pointed at a striped orange bar. "But these are really good."

He grabbed a blue bag and opened it, it was full of little blue marbles. Gaz took one and squeezed it. It reminded her of the water beads that gift shops sold. She popped it in her mouth. It was tasteless and had the consistency of Jell-O, only not as thick, but it felt good to suck on. Zim ate one too then opened his mouth, his worm-like tongue had turned blue. She laughed and looked in her GameSlave screen to see her tongue was also blue.

She smiled and ate another, sitting closer to Zim. He blushed, thinking about the ritual. He believed to have done well. She made strange noises like he was hurting her, but she insisted on continuing. Her skin was soft, it felt good on his, especially afterwards when she fell asleep on him. He remembered petting her little, Gaz-head, running his claws through her soft, purple hair.

_"Zim?" She moaned, dreamily.__"Yes?"__"I love you." Zim stopped petting her and smiled.__"I love you too, Gaz-love."_

"Zim?" Real Gaz said, snapping him out of his memories.

"Yes?" He asked.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yes. Zim is fine. Only… thinking." He squirmed in his seat. Gaz leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Last night was…" She started, reliving her own memories.

"Pleasant." Zim finished, eating another skoosh-bean, leaning his own head on hers.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Dib walked home alone again, Gaz hadn't even looked at him today. She didn't even sit with him at lunch. Not that he really wanted to see her too much. He still couldn't get last night's scene out of his head. Not to mention the trauma of seeing his sister partially naked.

Dib shook his head, still disgusted. Before even entering his house he went to the garage to see Tak's progress in returning to Earth. He opened the garage door and saw a pair of sneakers under his ship. When the light entered the garage, the person under the ship rolled out to look at him. Dib almost dropped his books. It was Tak. In a more updated human form.

She had kept her navy blue hair short, like last time, and her clothes were mostly the same. The striped dress with a modified Irken symbol on the front she used to wear was cut short into a shirt with black shorts that came just below her thighs, and a long black coat. Her high-top sneakers came up to her knees, still showing some skin. She wore little black gloves with the back of the hand and her fingers cut out.

And her… female body has been updated as well, she was taller and… curvier. She scowled at Dib and pulled herself under the ship again.

"I'm surprised you were able to contact me in the first place. I can't believe you got my ship working with this:"

She threw out some nuts and bolts as she spoke.

"Useless. Human. Machinery."

"Well, I used what I had." He said, defending himself. "And it worked."

"For the most part," She pulled herself back out from under her ship and walked past him to her tool box, full of weird looking alien tools and parts.

"How did you get here so quickly? I thought you wouldn't be here until tomorrow."

"When revenge is on the line," She said lifting herself up into the interior of the ship, her legs dangled on the outside as she worked. "I made it a priority to arrive as soon as possible."

Dib turned around, not wanting to see her… improved human form. He turned and closed the garage door.

"Could you _not_ wear that disguise please?"

"Why does it matter?" She asked, still working on her ship.

"It's… I don't know… you're just…" Dib stuttered, fighting not to stare at her. She jumped out and leaned on her ship, glaring at Dib.

"Don't tell me you find this _attractive_, do you?" She mocked. Dib froze, darting his eyes away, and back at her.

"_No_. It's just that… Well… just… when we were kids… or well… when _I_ was a kid..." Dib could feel himself start to blush and Tak rolled her eyes. She fiddled with her watch and her hologram shifted and faded away, showing her alien form. She was a little shorter than her human disguise, and a lot shorter than he was, she came up to his chest and her antenna raised her height to his chin. Her violet eyes glowed in the faint light of the garage and her antennae curled sharply. Her uniform returned to the normal striped dress and coat with the Irken symbol on the front. Even the metal band coming out of the side of her head had been the same. She was easier to look at than her human disguise.

"There. Is that better?" She asked, annoyed.

"Yeah… I mean… yeah."

"Just keep in mind that I'm not human." She said turning to work on her ship again.

"Okay so, what's the plan? Now that you're here. What are we gonna do?" Dib asked, casually watching her work.

"Infiltrate his base, possible capture, torture, and taunting, then I will disable his PAK and let him rot for the last ten minutes of his miserable life."

"His PAK?" Dib remembered Zim's little backpack from a few years back. It almost completely took over Dib's mind, causing him to create a robot to destroy all life on Earth, which he disabled once the PAK disconnected from him. He remembered Zim crawling through the doors of his father's lab slowly deteriorating. He looked a sickly, pale green and his eyes behind his contacts looked glossy. He could barely form words. If the PAK had been away from him any longer, the weak, little alien would have died.

"Only _after_ I'm finished with him." Tak growled, fixing a wire. While she was turned around Dib eyed her own PAK. It was light grey with purple spots. It was strange to think that everything she is, that all Irkens must have been, was in that little machine. Even she would die if she was disconnected. Dib shivered at the thought and looked away from her, she was mumbling to herself about Zim as she worked on her ship. Then, something hit him.

"Hey, where's MIMI?" He asked, wondering where her modified robot was. Tak stopped dead in her tracks.

"Tak?" Dib asked walking up to her, he reached a hand out to her shoulder.

"She's gone." Tak said with no emotion in her voice. Dib stilled his hand before he could touch her. "Somehow she malfunctioned during my last _visit_. I had to disable her."

"Oh. Okay, then." He said stepping back to return to his spot. Suddenly Tak screamed bloody murder and started throwing tools and metal parts.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SORRY EXCUSE FOR AN _IRKEN!"_ She bellowed. Dib ducked as brackets and tools went flying by his head.

"Woh, Tak!" He stammered, raising his arms to calm her down.

"I mean… He's not even AN INVADER!" A piece of metal flew into the garage door with a loud bang. "HE'S A WORTHLESS, PATHETIC _DEFECT!_ A SMUDGE ON THE IRKEN NAME!"

"Easy, Tak." Dib said coming closer, his arms still up ready to protect his face from flailing arms or debris.

"He's an IDIOT!" She threw another sheet of metal, hitting the desk beside her. "And somehow he managed to defeat ME!" She turned around and kicked the ship over and over again, tears welled up in her sharp, violet eyes. Dib came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her arms and pulled her away from the runner so she couldn't cause any more damage.

"HE RUINED MY LIFE!" She screamed, flailing her legs. "HE RUINED MY LIFE!"

"It's okay!" Dib said trying to calm down the shrieking Irken, before anyone could hear her. "It's okay."

"He ruined my life." She said, choking on a sob.

"Easy." Dib calmed her down and kneeled on the garage floor, still holding her.

"He…" She couldn't finish. Tak. The mighty, hardened, stoic soldier, Tak, burst into tears. Her whole body shook into rough sobs. Dib loosened his hold on her and let her fall on her knees. He didn't know what to do. She just… _exploded._

"It's okay." Dib said again.

_Look at me. I'm sniveling like a smeet._ Tak thought, beginning to fight back the tears. All the weight of her life had come crashing down on her when the Dib-human brought up her fallen companion. She had to disassemble MIMI when she went crazy and began destroying her ship, ruining her plans, and losing to Zim. Somehow she knew it was all his fault.

Tak calmed down, breathed deeply, and held still. Dib wanted to console her somehow, so he put a hand on her back, hoping to comfort her.

"_Don't_ touch me." She snapped up, walking away from Dib. She turned on him, glaring. She could feel the cold, sticky tears drying on her face. Dib just looked at her, unsure what to do.

"Get out." She said, turning away from him, returning to fix her now dented ship. Dib sat there quietly for a minute before slowly getting up. She paid no attention to him and silently worked. All you could hear was the gears and tools on her ship being repaired. Dib turned around and walked out of the garage without a word.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Zim sat at home with Gaz in his arms, watching The Scary Monkey show with GIR. Zim kept making horrible faces at the monkey.

_That monkey…_

"I love this show…" GIR cooed, smiling with his tongue out.

"I cannot stand this monkey any longer." Zim said, fed up. Gaz smirked, not really paying attention, playing her GS3. Zim moved her away and got off the couch, turning off the T.V.

"Aw." GIR saddened. "I wanted to look at the monkey some more."

"No, GIR. It is a _horrible_ monkey." Zim turned to walk away but GIR began shrieking madness into the air. Zim stopped and covered his antennae, turning to glare at GIR who started rolling on the floor. Gaz scowled at her game, GIR had gotten her attention for half a second, and made her die. She glared at Zim.

"Shut him up!" She yelled over his screams.

"GIR! SILENCE!" Zim walked over to him, still holding his antennae in pain. "We can do something else!" Zim yelled. GIR stopped immediately and walked to the door.

"Let's go for a walk." He chirped, getting his dog suit on. Zim sighed and shook his head. Then he turned to Gaz.

"Gaz-love! Accompany me on this 'walk'." He held out his hand, expectantly. Gaz looked back down at her game.

"Nah." She started a new game. Zim glared.

"You defy your ZIM?" He raised his hands up in the air. Gaz ignored him.

"I DEMAND you accompany me!" Zim yelled again. Gaz ignored him.

_Stubborn human._ Zim thought, bitterly. He walked over in front of her, crossing his arms and tapping his foot.

"Zim will buy you pizza-filth if you come with him." He smirked at Gaz who paused her game to look up at him. She glared for a moment, then closed her game and hopped off the couch, heading for the door. Zim smiled, put on his disguise, and followed Gaz and GIR out the door.

"Victory for Zim!" He shouted, throwing his fists in the air triumphantly, with an evil grin on his face.

"Shut up." Gaz mumbled, taking his hand and walking away.

* * *

"They're out of the house." Dib whispered into his walkie-talkie watching as Gaz, GIR, and Zim walked out and left.

"Received. Enter now." Tak replied. Dib activated his invisible suit, shot out from behind the bushes and ran for the door, careful for Zim not to hear him. He raced through the door and connected his remote control to the base's wires. He began typing in codes and commands.

Gnome guards: Deactivated

Computer systems: Deactivated

Security defenses: Deactivated

Security alarms: Deactivated

Control brain:Transferred.

Dib's remote beeped, receiving the computer's control brain. Now he could control Zim's base.

Dib breathed deeply.

_That was easier than I thought._

He deactivated his invisible suit, and contacted Tak again.

"All clear." He said. Tak entered the house, in her human-form, with her hands behind her back. She looked around at Zim's base, judgmentally, and shook her head, then looked at Dib.

"Do you have it?" She asked. Dib held up the remote disconnecting it with the base's wires. "Give it to me." She demanded. Dib paused for a moment.

"Remember. Gaz doesn't get hurt."

"I don't plan on harming your littermate, Dib. Just give me the remote." Dib looked at the remote for a second, then gave it to Tak. She put it in her pocket and smiled at Dib, who blushed and looked away. His eyes caught the couch. Dib's fists clenched in anger. He was ready for what he had to do.

It was a simple plan: Get Zim and Gaz, tie up Zim, Dib would get some pictures, then Tak was going to deactivate his PAK. It was easy.

_So why do I feel like this?_ Dib thought. _Can I really kill Zim?_ He had thought about it before, but he could never find it in his heart to really kill the green creature.

_It's for the good of mankind. And Gaz._ He thought. He could only hope that Gaz would forgive him someday. Someday she'll see that he's doing her a favor.

* * *

"How on Irk can you _stomach_ this filth?" Zim sighed as he watched children run around Bloaty's with pizza slices in their hands, squealing like pigs. Gaz smirked as Zim watched the children jump on a large, fat pig in the corner of the room, the pig looked miserably unwell. GIR had also begun bouncing on the obese pig, squealing with the children. Zim smiled and looked back at Gaz who ate her own pizza, happily.

"It's amazing." Gaz said simply, finishing another piece.

"I see no part of this filth to be 'amazing'." He scowled at the cheesy pizza-food as it steamed on the plate.

"HOW YA DOIN, LITTLE BOY?" A waiter in a pig uniform appeared at their table, grinning widely at Zim, who jumped back in surprise. "ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT ANY PIZZA?"

"Be gone, pizza-pig." Zim said, annoyed, waving his hand at him. "I desire none of the grotesqueries."

"Aw, you're gonna make BLOATY SAD!" The waiter pointed at the unhealthy pig-beast melting in the corner. Zim raised an eyebrow. The pig groaned and burped and the waiter smiled back at Zim.

"SEEEEEE?" He begged.

"BEGONE WITH YOU!" Zim yelled, glaring at the pizza-pig. Gaz ate quietly, smiling internally, the scene was amusing.

The waiter gave a humph and walked off to shriek at another small child.

"Are you done yet?" Zim asked, Gaz ate another piece.

"Almost."

Zim sat back in his seat, glaring at other Earth-children who frolicked in the store.

_I will destroy you all._ Zim thought, bitterly. Then he heard something that unleashed memories he had long tried to suppress.

"DOODEE DOODEE DOOOOO." A mechanical pig squealed in another corner of the large room.

"DOODEE DOODEE DOOOOOOOO." It shrieked again. Zim's blood ran cold.

_The Earth monsters._ Zim had almost forgotten that the horrible creatures guarded the pizza in this store. The pig danced by another table, bouncing his half-decapitated head as he sang the shrill song. Then, it turned to Zim and Gaz's table and it's cold, glossy eyes locked onto them. Zim's eyes widened and his claws stuck in the table, he began to sweat. Gaz looked over to the pig who started bouncing over to them then at Zim who backed himself into his seat.

"You wanna go?" She asked. Zim nodded.

"GIR!" He yelled, the little robot ran over to the table, covered in cheese and dripping grease, saluted Zim. Zim reached into his pocket, pulled out a wad of Earth monies and dropped it on the table. He grabbed Gaz's hand and ran out the door before the horrible pig could get any closer. GIR followed happily, trailing grease behind him. His cheese stuck him in the doorway of the store and he squealed, licking at his greasy face.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Zim and Gaz walked through the door to his base. Zim stopped, taking off his disguise slowly, his ruby eyes darted around the living room and his antennae twitched, searching. Something was wrong.

"Zim, what-"

"Shh." He quickly shushed Gaz and held a hand out for her to stop, and stepped into the room with caution.

There was definitely something wrong. The air was too still, too quiet. The atmosphere had changed since they left, there was another presence in the house. His antennae picked up on a scent and he froze. It was something familiar, something he couldn't pin, but something dangerous.

"Gaz. Run." Zim whispered, still frozen.

"What?" She asked confused.

"Run!" He yelled, but before he could do anything, he saw a flash of green and was blinded by a sack over his head. He immediately fought back but was thrown down to the floor and pinned by his attacker.

"Hey!" Gaz yelled as she was also tackled and blinded. "Let me go!" She yelled.

"COMPUTER! ELIMINATE THE INTRUDERS!" Zim yelled, fighting against his foe.

"System error. No intruders detected."

"No intruders!? Who are you?! Let us go!" Zim demanded. He felt the hands on his back move but he was still pinned by the attacker's body. He felt them on his PAK.

"NO! Don't touch that! What are yo-" Then everything went black.

* * *

System reboot commencing.

Scanning:

PAK health: Normal

Body shell health: Normal

Brain functionality: Normal

PAK weapons functions: Disabled

PAK leg extensions: Disabled

Commencing reactivation

_*ZAP*_

Zim groaned and opened his eyes, everything was blurry, all he saw were colors and basic shapes. A green blob came into view. Slowly, the image became more and more clear.

"Rise and shine, Zim." He heard a sharp, female voice come from the green shape.

"Wha…?" Zim focused his eyes. The image became clear but he still didn't believe his eyes.

"T-Tak?" He stammered. "You're alive?"

"Yes. Sorry to disappoint you, defect. I am alive." She began pacing around him. He struggled but was tied tightly to a chair. He looked around, they were located inside Zim's base labs.

"COMPUTER! ELIMINATE THE INTRUDER!" He yelled.

"System error. No intruders detected."

"What is the meanING OF THIS?" He yelled, his voice growing. "She's right THERE!"

Tak laughed at him and Zim turned to glare at her.

"I've shut down your computer's defenses, Zim. There's no escape. I'm in control now." She waved a little remote controller.

"How did you get in my base?" He demanded, Tak smirked.

"You really expected to keep anyone out with this inferior equipment? It was easy." She leaned to one side with her arms crossed, smiling menacingly. Clearly proud of herself. Zim smiled.

"I'm the inferior one? You haven't grown since the last time you _failed_ to defeat me. You look like a fresh smeet." He scoffed. Tak's smile disappeared, calmly, she walked up to Zim and punched him in his squeedily-spooch, he groaned in pain as she walked away.

"I had a little help from an inside source as well." Tak's smile returned, Zim opened one eye, only for it to be blinded by a bright flash.

"There's one for Mysterious Mysteries." Another flash. "One for the local newspaper..."

Flash. Flash. Flash.

"A few to show everyone at skool…" Zim opened his eyes again, to see Dib putting his camera down and walking over to him.

"Dib-stink? What are you-OOF!" Dib punched Zim square in the face, knocking his head back and smacking into the chair. Then another hit in his squeedily-spooch, and a hard smack across the face. Zim coughed and slumped over in pain. Dib grabbed an antenna and yanked his head to up to take another picture, Zim winced and blinked his eyes, blinded again.

"And one for me." Dib let him go and he slumped over again.

"What are you doing?" He groaned.

"Don't, Zim." Dib snapped. "Don't even _think_ about trying to talk your way out of this one. I know what happened with Gaz. I know what you _did_ to her."

Zim's eyes widened. "Dib-human. I can explain-"

"No need. I don't know what your plan with Gaz is. Personally, I don't care anymore. All I know is that you're not leaving here alive."

"It's not what you think! I… Your sister... I l-" Dib kicked Zim's. Zim winced again.

"I don't wanna hear it, Zim! I saw you! I FUCKING saw you with her! I don't wanna hear ANYTHING you have to say!" Dib kicked him again, harder. "You've gone too far now, Zim. Now you're gonna pay. I warned you to stay away from Gaz!" He punched him in the squeedily-spooch again and Zim yelped in pain as the chair fell over.

"That's enough, Dib." Tak said, leaning off the controls to his computer. Dib backed off and glared hard at Zim. She walked past Dib with a smile on her face. "He's mine."

"I wasn't surprised when I heard about your little mate, Zim. You _would_ be the one to betray your own race." Tak smirked, looking down at the hurting Irken defect. "That's pathetic, even for you, Zim."

"Leave her…. Out of this." Zim groaned.

"No. I don't think I will." Tak pressed a button on the remote, a chair was lowered down by the base's cables in the ceiling. It held a bound, struggling Gaz with a blindfold and gag.

"Gaz!" Zim snapped up, struggling harder from his chair's ropes, ignoring his pain.

"Hmm…" Tak sneered, holding a claw up to her chin, looking from Zim to Gaz. "Perhaps this human really does mean a lot to you." Tak walked over to Gaz, looking at her up and down.

"In that case…" Tak shot a claw out and scratched Gaz's cheek, who immediately began yelling and cursing at Tak, but everything was muffled through her gag. Dib's eyes widened.

_What is she doing?_

"TAK!" Zim bellowed, frantically flailing in his chair which made it bounce around. "If you lay another FINGER on her head. By the Tallest, old and new. I will RIP EVERY MOLECULE OF YOUR PAK TO PIECES!!!" Zim knocked around in his chair, trying desperately to get free. Tak's PAK opened up, she aimed one of her PAK legs at Gaz's throat and aimed the other two at her forehead, in a claw like hold. Gaz fell silent, feeling the cold points on her skin.

"Hey!" Dib shot up. "This wasn't part of the plan!"

"This was part of _my_ plan." Tak said smiling at Dib. "You see Dib, I need to make Zim suffer." She aimed the points of her legs closer to Gaz, poking harder against her skin, Zim struggled more.

"It appears that he cares deeply for this… purple human. What better way to make him suffer than to watch her die?"

"You swore you wouldn't hurt her!" Dib yelled.

"You humans are so gullible." Tak grinned.

"But… I thought-."

"You thought what, Dib? That when I came back you could get close to me, and perhaps I would fall in love with you too?" Tak drew her PAK legs back and stomped over to Dib, who blushed. Her glare darkened as she looked up at him. "You think I don't realize your _disgusting_ infatuation with me?"

She shot a glare at Zim. "He's only a wretched, slorgak TRAITOR because he's DEFECTIVE."

Zim scowled and spit at the ground.

"I used you from day ONE to get close to HIM! You think I care about you? You're a stupid, hideous, fleshy primate! How on IRK could I care about _you_." She hissed. Dib was frozen, his blush went away. Tak smirked and turned away from Dib and pressed another button on her remote. The cables from the ceiling came down and grabbed Dib and strung him up, holding him powerless, he started to struggle.

"Tak how COULD you?" Dib yelled, flailing his arms and legs in vain. "We had a deal! I trusted you!"

"Now where were we?" Tak sang, walking behind Zim. She pulled his chair off the ground and set it up, then drew her attention to his PAK.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! What are you-." Quickly, and without warning, Tak popped Zim's PAK off. His saw an image of a timer counting down from ten minutes appear in the corner of his vision. His lifeclock. "NO! MY PAK! GIVE IT BACK!" Zim yelled.

**9:52**

Tak walked around him and pressed another button on her remote, a hard, metal shell came down from the ceiling. She opened it up, tossed his PAK in, and locked it so it wouldn't be able to escape.

"GIVE ME BACK MY PAK!"

**9:38**

"No." She said smiling at him.

"Tak. I'm warning you. Release me and Gaz this INSTANT and I will not DESTROY you!" Zim fought to break his binds in his chair again.

**9:28**

"You don't get it do you? You've lost. It's sad that you're even still trying. Why Zim? To protect your ugly mate?" Tak leaned closer to Gaz again who remained motionless, she opened up her own PAK and used a leg to turn Gaz's head. She dug her leg into her cheek and pierced the skin and he saw a drop of blood run down her neck.

"STOP! I'm the one you want! You already have me! Do what you want to me! Just let her go!"

**9:05**

"I've already said, Zim. I want you to suffer. I want you to suffer like I did all those years ago on DIRT! You ruined my LIFE Zim! I'm just repaying the favor." Her leg dug into Gaz's cheek further, Gaz clenched her fists and winced in pain. Zim winced and fought again. He had to get out now while he still had his strength.

**8:49**

"TAK NO!" Dib yelled from the ceiling.

"Say goodbye to your mate, defect." Tak smiled and raised her leg. Then, out of the blue, Gaz kicked Tak hard in the chin, knocking her into the floor. Quickly Gaz dropped her restraints and took off her blindfold and gag.

"Don't you EVER touch me again." Gaz spit, standing above a confused Tak, rubbing her chin.

"GAZ! Get me out of here!" Dib yelled from above, still wiggling defenselessly on the ceiling.

Tak swiped her leg under Gaz, making her fall over, and pinned her wrists to the floor with her spiderlegs.

"How did you get out?" Tak demanded Gaz used her legs to throw Tak off of her again.

"You weren't paying attention when you were yelling at Dib. I got free while you weren't looking."

"Gaz. Get out of here! Run!" Zim yelled, desperately.

**8:05**

"Foolish worm-demon. Do you really think you have a chance against me? I trained as an elite soldier since before you spawned. Give up now and I won't make your demise as painful as I want it to be." Tak rose off the ground and sunk into a threatening stance, preparing her PAK legs. Gaz scowled at the little alien.

"If you don't let them go. Now. I will plunge you into a nightmare world from which there is no waking." Tak shrieked a battle cry and began slashing at Gaz with her sharp legs. Gaz quickly dodged her, but Tak spun around, swiping at her again, and again Gaz dodged her. Zim struggled in his seat, but his breaths were growing heavy and his arms felt weak from using up his energy. He needed to get out. Now. Or all would be lost.

**7:09**

"Gaz! Throw me the remote!" Dib yelled, finally getting one arm out of his restraints.

Tak lunged for Gaz again, aiming one of her legs directly into her belly, Gaz jumped, stepped off the sharp leg, and kicked Tak in the face again.

"You're lasting longer than I thought you would, little human. I'm impressed." Tak smirked, rubbing her cheek, and slashed again, striking Gaz's arm. Immediately she held it against her side in pain. Zim's eyes grew wide and his antennae pricked up as he saw her red-ooze began dripping down off her fingers.

**6:39**

"Tak! Leave her alone!" Zim yelled, he was out of breath and his arms felt heavy. He was beginning to feel the effects of being PAKless for so long. He could hear the clanking and banging of his PAK trying to break itself free from inside the metal box.

**6:31**

Dib, meanwhile, had released both his arms from the restraints on the ceiling and was now pulling his torso free. He looked down at Zim, his skin looked paler green, and his eyes were more strained, he took deep breaths as he still desperately tried to get himself out.

_Did Zim really want to save Gaz?_ Dib thought looking down at his sister fighting off Tak. He looked down at Gaz's empty chair and saw the remote Tak used to contain Zim's PAK which was ruthlessly banging around in the metal box.

_If I can get to the remote, then I can use Zim's PAK to help Gaz._ Dib thought, then he looked back at Zim who began hacking and coughing his… alien-lungs out. He looked like death.

**5:52**

Or maybe… Dib thought. Tak screeched as Gaz snapped off one of her PAK legs and used it to swipe at Tak's cheek, which started leaking green liquid.

"You'll pay for that, you little SLORCH!" Tak yelled, viciously swiping at Gaz again and again, backing her into the wall, then she felt something hit her in the head. She whipped around to see Dib had thrown his shoe at her, she scowled at him before Gaz jumped on her back and covered her eyes. She squealed and began grabbing at Gaz who used her legs to contain Tak's spider-legs, keeping them from impaling her.

"GET OFF ME!" Tak screeched, grabbing onto a handful of Gaz's hair and pulling her over her shoulder, and onto the ground. Gaz fell with a thump and rolled over to the right as Tak stabbed at her, driving her leg into the ground. She stabbed again and again, and Gaz kept rolling out of the way. Tak used her legs to block Gaz's escape and went to stab again before getting kicked in the face by Dib, throwing her into the wall. Dib had swung down off the ceiling to save his sister, and ran for the remote by the chair.

Gaz looked up to see Zim hanging his head off the side of the chair which fell over with a bang. He looked awful. His antennae hung limp against his head and his ruby eyes were glossy and crossed. His green skin was much paler and his worm-like tongue hung out of his mouth, drooling on the floor. He groaned in pain when he slammed down into the ground. Gaz ran over to him while Tak attacked Dib.

**4:58**

"Gaz… Go now… save… Gaz." Zim slurred, unable to speak properly.

"No way! We're getting out of here." Gaz said. His body was going completely limp as she untied him from the chair. She heard a crash and a yell, Gaz turned around to see Dib had Tak on the ground, her PAK legs lay broken and limp on the floor and she had the leg Gaz broke off in her hand, trying to stab Dib with it. He had her claw in his hand and fought to pin the other claw with the sharp leg in it on the ground, the remote was a few feet away from them.

"Gaz! Get the remote!" Dib yelled.

"LET GO OF ME!" She yelled under him trying to pierce him with her broken leg. Gaz left the drooling Zim to fetch the remote and began pressing random buttons, hoping to release Zim's PAK.

**4:31**

Gaz's chair flew back and forth, lights flashed and sirens blared loudly, Dib's old restraints flung around from the ceiling, grabbing hold of one of Zim's legs and stringing him up by his ankle.

He hung there and opened one of his eyes. His whole body felt completely limp and broken, he could barely think coherent thoughts anymore. He looked down and saw Dib and Tak wrestling on the floor as she screamed Irken curses at him, ruthlessly. He saw Gaz looking up at him with a little remote control as she desperately tried to get his PAK from the metal box which had been slightly dented from the inside out. He let his heavy eyelids fall as he swung gently back and forth.

**3:41**

Tak knocked Dib off of her and launched into Gaz who fell forward, losing the remote. Tak fell over Gaz and tried to cut her with her leg again, Gaz held it away as she came closer and closer to her neck.

"ZIM!" She yelled up at him. Wearily, his eyes opened, looking down at her again.

_The little purple creature looked afraid._ Something felt familiar about the purple one. Something he liked. Then he remembered.

"That's…. _My_… purple human…" He slurred, wiggling a little bit in a feeble attempt to save her. "Let her... g-g-gooooooo." Zim's mouth felt numb and his body hung limp again. He closed his eyes again, drooling.

**3:12**

"Dib! Help Zim!" Gaz yelled at her brother who shot up and ran for the remote.

_I have to get the PAK._ Dib thought, as he dove for the remote. He started pressing more buttons, and eventually the metal shell opened. Dib ran and grabbed the little backpack which immediately attacked him, trying to fuse itself to Dib.

**2:54**

Dib rolled around on the floor with Zim's PAK as the spider legs grabbed at him and fought to pull him closer, little metal piping shot out to reach for Dib. Gaz and Tak were still in a dead-lock, as she tried to cut into Gaz's neck with the sharp metal leg.

"You're going to die, little Earthen scum." She hissed. "Any last words?"

Gaz breathed heavily, actually afraid for her life. Everything moved in slow motion. As she looked around the room. She looked up at Zim who had almost lost all of his coloring, looking as if he had passed out, and looked at Dib who was fighting with Zim's PAK, then at Tak who smiled as the leg got closer to her throat. Suddenly Gaz saw something behind Tak.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**"GIR! TAK HAS TACOS FOR YOU!"** Gaz screamed at the top of her lungs. For a moment, Tak looked confused, until she was attacked by the little, cyan robot.

"GIMMIE! GIMMIE! GIMMIE! GIMMIE! GIMMIE!" GIR wailed, clinging onto Tak's head and yanking on her antennae, violently. Tak screamed and tried to shake off the shrieking robot who pulled her head back and sat on her shoulders, riding her like a pig. Gaz shot up from the ground and ran to Dib who was losing the fight with Zim's PAK.

**1:03**

"GAZ QUICK! IT'S GONNA TAKE OVER MY MIND!" Dib yelled, fighting as the PAK connected with his skin. Gaz ripped the PAK away from Dib who yelled in pain as the PAK was ripped off his belly. Gaz ran to the remote and held the PAK away as it fought to connect with her. She grabbed the remote and pressed another button, releasing Zim from the ceiling. He crashed down with a smack, but didn't react to the pain.

**0:32**

"Zim! Here! I have your PAK!" Gaz held the PAK out for Zim, whose dull eyes fluttered open, he groaned and raised a limp claw out to take it.

**0:21**

"NO! HE'S MINE!" Tak shrieked, flinging GIR off her shoulders and into the wall. She dove at the pair and barreled into Gaz, knocking her over. The PAK fell next to Zim whose weak arm fell down, giving up, his eyes closed and he passed out.

**0:10**

The PAK raised itself off the ground with the spider legs.

**0:09**

It looked over at the black haired human who writhed on the floor with a torn shirt, still in pain. Match compatibility: negative.

**0:08**

It looked at the Irken who already had a PAK fighting with another human. Match compatibility: negative. Match compatibility: negative.

**0:07**

It looked at the dying Irken without a PAK.

**0:06**

Match compatibility: positive.

**0:05**

The PAK flipped over the dying Irken.

**0:04**

It aligned itself with the spinal cord.

**0:03**

The metal piping fused with the spinal cord of the Irken host.

**0:02**

Gradually, the PAK began repairing the Irken host's dying body shell.

**0:01**

Zim regained his consciousness, he saw the lifeclock in the corner of his eye freeze at the last second, then disappear. His strength returned, the color in his skin returned, his brain waves and thought processes returned. He opened his eyes, and lifted himself off the floor, dazed and confused.

"ZIM!" Someone yelled. He snapped his head over to see Tak pinning Gaz to the wall, about to stab her in the back with a broken PAK leg.

"GAZ!" Zim shot up off the ground and ran after Gaz. He smashed into Tak, knocking her away from Gaz, and flipped her over on the wall, taking the hand with the PAK leg in it and pointing it at her own neck.

"NO! I DESTROYED YOU!" Tak bellowed, fighting against his new-found strength.

"You failed. Again." Zim hissed, plunging the PAK leg into her throat. Tak's violet eyes widened in horror as he moved off of her. Her hands fell on the sharp, metal leg coming out of her neck, and tried to remove it, green blood flowed out of her neck in bursts. She fell over, holding her neck trying to keep the blood from leaving her body as she gasped for air. Her eyes lost color and her hands fell limp, as her PAK began to beep.

The last thing Tak saw was the defective Irken standing over her body, looking down at her without remorse. His words echoed in her mind.

_You failed. Again.__Failed...__Failed..._

Then everything went black.

Zim kicked her lifeless body over and removed her PAK, so it would not try to repair her body shell. He walked over to the metal shell that held his own PAK captive, threw it in, and locked it away.

Gaz leaned on the wall, breathing deeply, holding her neck. It was the first time Gaz actually saw death. Even if it wasn't even her own species, it kinda freaked her out. Zim turned to look at Gaz and walked over beside her. She looked up at him, wide-eyed, as he held out a hand.

"Are you alright?" He asked, pulling her up.

"Yeah… I'm fine." Gaz held her wounded arm close to her body. Zim looked at her bleeding cheek, which had already started scabbing over. Then slowly raised her arm, examining it. Gaz winced as he ripped her sleeve open the rest of the way. Tak had cut into it deeply, it still bled, dripping down her arm and onto the floor. Zim turned around, taking the remote from where he fell from the ceiling, and walked over to his enormous computer monitor. He connected the remote to his controls and started typing commands.

"_Access granted_." Zim's computer whirled to life and the cables from the ceiling retreated.

"Computer, bring me a medical kit." Zim demanded, a bright light shone on the table, shining back and forth until a first aid kit materialized. Zim took the handle, and walked over to Gaz. He sat down, opened the kit and started working on the gash in her arm. He put a slab of blue jelly on his hand and smeared it on her wound, which started bubbling and turning green. Gaz clenched her fists and ground her teeth, but stayed still so Zim could fix her.

"I told you to run." Zim snapped at her as he put a dab of the jelly on the cut on her cheek, which felt more tingly than painful. He used a rag to wipe the now dark, green jelly off her arm when it stopped foaming. He prepared a little, black machine and held it over the top of her wound.

"And leave you to die?" She glared at Zim.

"I told you to RUN." Zim yelled at her, glaring back. "_You_ could have died. I would have been fine. I had everything under control."

"I saved you-AHH!" Gaz countered before Zim started the machine, it pulled a hook around one side of her gash to the other with thread, sewing her skin back together. Gaz slammed her fist into the wall and shouted.

"Hold still." Zim said clutching her wrist and calmly sliding the little black device down her arm, closing the gash and stopping it from bleeding anymore. Then he wrapped white gauze around her arm, wiped the jelly off her cheek and taped a little bandage to it.

Dib couldn't believe his eyes. He looked at the ground where Tak lay motionless.

_She's really gone._ Dib thought. He couldn't decide whether he mourned her or not. She broke their pact and tried to kill him and Gaz, but he still felt a little remorse. He looked back at Zim as he taped the band aid on Gaz's cheek.

_Did Zim really care?_

"Dib-beast." Zim called, getting up and turning to glare at Dib who still sat on the floor. "Explain yourself. Now."

"I… I called Tak." Dib said, sinking into his shoulders.

"What the FUCK, DIB?!" Gaz shot up, walking toward her brother. Zim put out an arm, stopping Gaz.

"I am aware you do not approve of me, Dib-monkey. But contacting Tak, and endangering your sister's life is _unacceptable_." Zim spit.

"I didn't know she was gonna try to kill Gaz!" Dib shot up.

"You have five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't doom you, Dib." Gaz yelled, pushing Zim's arm out of the way and facing her brother.

"I… I'm sorry." Dib retreated. "I was going to try and… get rid of Zim." He confessed.

Gaz scowled. "Four seconds."

"I-I saw you two… together… And I just… I got so mad. I-"

"So you tried to _kill_ him?" Gaz shouted, pushing him back.

"I… I didn't think he actually cared about you Gaz! I thought he was using you... And when I saw that I… I don't know, I snapped!"

"What is WRONG with you?" Gaz pushed him again. "What do you mean 'he doesn't care about me'? Am I really _that_ awful, Dib? You think the _only_ reason _anyone_ could be with me is because they're USING ME?"

"NO! That's not what I meant, Gaz!" Dib dodged another push, getting around her, and moving in between Zim and Gaz. "If it was anyone else, I would have been fine with it. But ZIM? You can't expect me NOT to get suspicious! It's ZIM!"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean, dirt-child?" Zim walked toward him, beside Gaz. They both started backing Dib into the wall.

"YOU'RE AN ALIEN INVADER!" Dib yelled, pushing Zim back. "YOU'VE LIED, CHEATED, AND MANIPULATED BEFORE! How do you expect me to be OKAY with you dating my SISTER? OF COURSE I thought something was up! Since WHEN have you _ever_ been HONEST?" Dib pushed him again. Gaz growled and went to hit Dib, but Zim stopped her.

"I see." Zim said. Dib looked down at Gaz's wrapped up arm and sighed.

"But… now?… I don't know." Dib looked at Zim who still held Gaz back from dooming him.

_Maybe I was wrong. Zim saved her. He tried to get Gaz to save herself and leave him behind, he protected her from Tak, he healed her arm, he seemed like… But...maybe..._

"Can you look me in the eye and tell me, _honestly_, that you really like Gaz?"

Gaz stopped and looked at Zim, who flattened his antennae, his scowl softened for a moment as he breathed.

"Dib-human. As you know, I loathe humans. Especially you, _especially_ now. But your sister is different than the rest of her race, she is intelligent, capable, and terrifying. Far better than the awful creatures I've encountered thus far, and I have decided to take her on as my mate." Dib grimaced for a moment, hating his choice of words. Zim let his antennae fall and continued. "In doing so I put myself in harms way. But I am prepared to face any challenges being with Gaz will bring upon me."

Zim walked up close to Dib looking at him dead in the eye. Face to face. "No, Dib-stink. I cannot say that I 'like' your sister. I can, however, say that I love her."

Dib's eyes widened.

_He's serious._

"Your approval on the subject means _nothing_ to me. But know this: If you _ever_ endanger her life like this again. I. Will. End. You." Zim stepped to the side and pointed a finger away. "Now get out."

Dib paused for a couple seconds to really take in his alien foe, then his sister. He sighed and walked away from them both. Only looking back at Gaz, who watched him walk away into the elevator. He waved at her before going up to the house.

_Zim and Gaz…_ Dib thought as he disappeared up the shoot.

"Computer. Set up a living quarters for Gaz." Gaz turned around and looked at Zim.

'What?" She asked, confused.

"I'm kidnapping you." Zim said, walking to his computer. "Or 'abducting' you, as your brother would put it."

"Why?" Gaz crossed her arms and leaned over.

"Your Dib-sibling is no longer worthy of your company." Zim said, getting out a large box with a big, purple button.

"So you want me to live with you?" Gaz asked, lifting an eyebrow. Zim froze, looking at her, then at the computer again.

"Well... yes. As it so happens, you would be _living_ with me." He walked over to Gaz with the box and set it down beside her.

"Here. Just press this button and everything inside will shrink." He pushed the button and suddenly the large box became pocket sized. "I should have done this much sooner. I just didn't think he would turn to just drastic measures."

"Woh. Woh. Woh. Wait, so… what? Just up and ditch my house? All my stuff? My dad?"

"No, you would bring your belongings here, in the box, and you've already told me your father-unit is never present."

Gaz thought about it. Just… leave? For Zim?

_Yeah…_ Gaz thought. _Yeah… Why would Dad care? I'm older now, I can move out. And I've already spent a few nights here._ Then she looked around, and back at Zim.

But can she really stand the alien enough to live with him? She would have to deal with GIR a lot more… But then again, she would have to deal with Dib a lot less… She looked down at the box.

_What the hell?_ Gaz thought, then she bent down to put the little box in her pocket. Zim smiled and turned away from her, marching to the computer.

"Your quarters will be done by the time you return with your possessions. I'll be sure to allow some customizations to fit your needs."

Gaz smirked and rubbed her arm, looking at the elevator, then back at Zim and frowned.

"Zim… what did you mean by 'putting yourself in harms way'?"

Zim stopped what he was doing and let his antennae fall back again, he said nothing. "Does it have anything to do with… what Tak called you?"

Zim looked tense, but still said nothing. Gaz eyed him for a moment in thought and began to walk up to him.

"Another time." He finally spoke up, not looking back at her. Gaz stopped and stood quietly again. Zim began typing into his computer, slowly regaining his composer. She frowned and looked back down at her box.

_If he's serious..._

Gaz stepped up behind him and kissed his cheek before running back toward the elevator. Zim's antennae shot up and he tensed again. He might never get used to human affection. He looked back at Gaz who flew up the shoot to the home base.

* * *

Gaz walked through the door to her home and went up to her room. She set the box in the middle of her bedroom and pressed the button again. It grew as large as it used to be, and Gaz opened it up. There was lots of space, it should hold everything she needed. She looked around her room and sighed.

_Well… Where to start?_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Dib heard some shuffling in Gaz's room and stopped. He hesitated but knocked on the door, no answer.

"Gaz? You in there?" He asked, opening her door. He stopped and widened his eyes. Gaz was holding a stack of clothes, putting them in a big, metal box. Half her room was empty.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking around in shock.

"What does it look like?" She ignored him and continued to pack.

"You're leaving?" He looked at her sadly. The guilt in his gut twisted in a tighter knot.

"Zim wants me to move in with him." Gaz said, picking up her stuffed animal defenses and tossing them in the box.

"So… you're going with him?"

"Yeah." She tossed the last one in and went to remove her bed sheets.

The last of Dib's heart shattered, anger started taking its place. Zim was taking his sister away.

"You… you can't! I mean… What about mankind? He's still gonna try to take over Earth!" Dib walked up to her as she folded her sheets, tossing them in the box.

"Maybe I'll help him." Gaz said a matter-of-factly. Humans weren't really her thing anyway.

"You don't mean that." Dib said, wide eyed.

"Why not? I've never fit in around here. It'll be fun."

"You _really_ don't mean that." Dib said, taken aback. "So, what? You're just gonna renounce your humanity?"

"Yeah… Probably." Gaz said packing the last of her belongings into the box, leaving her room empty. Dib took her wrist.

"Gaz. Don't. Please. I'll try to get used to…. You and… Zim. But don't _leave_. Please." Gaz snapped her hand back, closed the box and pressed the button, making the box pint sized. She picked it up and put it in her pocket, completely weightless.

"Gaz…" Dib said. Watching her disappear down the hall. He looked around her empty room.

_No… This can't be happening. First Tak. Then Gaz?_ He bolted out of her room and followed her down the stairs to see Professor Membrane floating in a computer screen in the kitchen.

"Dad! Stop her!" Dib said, pointing at Gaz.

"Why so glum, daughter?" The professor asked, floating over to Gaz.

"I'm leaving." She said, walking to the front door.

"Alright, be sure to come home soon. It's almost curfew." He started floating away.

"I'm not coming home. I'm moving out." Gaz looked up at her father, hoping for some kind of reaction. The floating screen turned to look at her, but she couldn't see any emotion from under his lab coat and goggles.

"Alright. If that's what you want. Be sure to think of us!" Then the head turned and floated away.

"DAD!" Dib yelled. Gaz clenched her fists and swung open the door, angrily.

_Of course not. Why would he care?_

"Gaz. Stop!" Dib demanded. She stopped, holding the door, ready to walk out.

"If you go out that door. You're taking his side. And you'll become the enemy." He walked up behind her. "Don't do this."

Gaz paused, still holding the door. Then without another word, she stepped out and shut the door behind her.

* * *

Gaz walked to Zim's house with tears in her eyes, muttering curses under her breath. Her own _father_ just let her go like that. Without a word of remorse. Without a fight. Just… Bye! Did he even care that she was leaving? Would he have noticed if she was already gone?

And Dib. Calling her the enemy? That's not what she wanted. That was never what this was _about_. He was such an idiot he still couldn't get that through his big, stupid head!

_Fine. It doesn't matter. I don't care._

She felt a tear run down her cheek as she made her way down the sidewalk into the cul-de-sac. When she got to Zim's door she wiped her face, hoping it wasn't noticeable. She took a moment to collect herself, then opened the door.

"SURPRISE!" Zim yelled, holding a pizza box out to Gaz with a huge grin on his face. Gaz froze.

"I had GIR pick up some of your pizza-foods from the Bloaty's you like." He closed his eyes, wallowing in his own pride, still grinning.

"And… and look at this!" He took her hand and dragged her to the kitchen, setting the pizza on the counter. He opened the door of the fridge. It was full of all sorts of human food. Fruits and vegetables, soda and water bottles, milk, bread, cheese, and meats.

"I know you have to eat more than I do, so I stocked the fridge!" He grinned again. Gaz looked at all the food, her mouth agape. Zim dragged her away into the living room, still proud of his work.

"Computer. Open the entrance to Gaz-human's quarters!" He said standing in front of the couch. The couch disappeared under the floor, and the painting of a monkey slid up, revealing a little door, which slid open. As Gaz stepped in, her eyes widened.

It was a big, square room with purple walls, and black carpeting with a round purple rug in the center. A closet door surrounded by drawers that opened out of the wall was on one side of the room, and a big bed sat on the other. There was a huge computer screen with an Irken symbol on a desk next to a sliding silver door. Gaz turned in place in the center of the room, then stared at Zim, who couldn't contain his enjoyment.

_He did all this… for me?_

"Look at this!" He hopped over to the drawers in the wall and opened one on the bottom. It just kept coming out until it hit the bed on the other side of the room.

"I modified them from the storage space in my labs." Then he went into the closet. It was a narrow room with hanging bars for her clothes, an open storage spot for shoes, and two more drawers on the bottom.

"I read that human females need a lot of space for their attire. Oh! And look at this!" He pulled her out of the closet and over to the silver door, which opened up into a bathroom. It looked like a pretty normal bathroom, white tile floors, a shower, a toilet, a cupboard, and a sink. Zim ran over to the sink.

"You humans need so much _water_." He scoffed, turning on the apparently working sink. "It's all in full working order for all of your human needs!" He turned the sink off, glaring at the dripping faucet.

"Oh! And then this." He pulled her out of the bathroom and started typing into her computer. He pulled a tab labeled "customize." And began poking at different functions, turning the walls red, the bed frame green, the floor brown, and the rug blue.

"I know the black and purple is your favorite," He said, changing everything back. "But if you want to change something, you can. Whenever you wan-" Then Gaz hugged him and buried her face in his chest, his antennae snapped up in surprise.

"Thank you." She said, squeezing him tighter, fighting more tears. He put his arms around his Gaz and hugged her back.

"You're welcome." He said, holding her tightly.

_Who needs Dib? Who cares that Dad doesn't care about me? Zim does._

That's all she wanted. That's all she needed.

"Come on, Let's get you some of that cheesy-filth." Zim said, pulling away and running out of the room. Gaz looked around her new room and smiled, setting down her storage box with all her stuff in it. She reached into her pocket and removed a speckled, oval rock. She set it on her desk before leaving the room.

**The End**


End file.
